East Donegal Township Police Department, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Friday, April 7, 1967
Age: 44
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 7, 1967
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Chief Marvin Foltz was shot and killed during a bank robbery in Maytown, Pennsylvania.
He had gone into the bank and ordered the robbers to put their hands up when he met a fusillade of gunfire. Though wounded, he staggered to the bank steps and emptied his gun at the fleeing robbers.
Three men were arrested and charged with his murder. Two were slightly wounded by Chief Foltz's return fire.
The suspect, 21, who shot Chief Foltz, and another, 36, were convicted of his murder and sentenced to life. One was sentenced on June 23, 1967 and the other on October 2, 1967. The other suspect, 41, was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to the Fairview Mental Hospital for the criminally insane. The suspect, 36, died in prison in March of 1984. The youngest suspect escaped from prison in 1973 and was recaptured in 1976.
Chief Foltz was the only full-time employee of the three man department and the first chief. He is survived by his wife and daughter who had rushed to the scene from their house nearby.