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Police Officer Carlton X. Fletcher | Prince George's County Police Department, Maryland
Prince George's County Police Department, Maryland

Police Officer

Carlton X. Fletcher

Prince George's County Police Department, Maryland

End of Watch: Sunday, June 12, 1983

Biographical Info

Age: 32
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Badge Number: 857

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 11, 1983
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Released after 16 years

Police Officer Carlton Fletcher was shot and killed after being ambushed by an armed robbery suspect while working off-duty security at a local convenience store on the 8700 block of Greenbelt Road in Lanham, Maryland.

The subject also murdered the store's manager.

Although the suspect was initially sentenced to two consecutive life terms for the murder, a judge reduced the sentence to 25 years, and the man was paroled in 2000. Neither the family of Officer Fletcher nor his agency were notified of the suspect's release beforehand. In 2002 the suspect petitioned the court to have his name legally changed.

Officer Fletcher was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the Prince George's County Police Department for seven years. He was survived by his wife and child.