James City County Sheriff's Office, Virginia
End of Watch: Tuesday, September 19, 1978
Age: 37
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: 4
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 19, 1978
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Paroled in 2018
Sergeant Earl Heisler was shot and killed while checking on a suspicious vehicle behind the Ramada Inn West, on Route 60. He was checking the area due to recent burglaries at the nearby Stratford Hall Apartments.
As he checked the hotel parking lot he observed three people sitting in the vehicle. As he spoke to the occupants, he observed a bag of marijuana on the backseat of the car. During the subsequent search, the vehicle's driver grabbed Sergeant Heisler's service weapon and shot him in the face.
The man fled the state but was later apprehended and returned to Virginia. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled in March 2018.
Sergeant Heisler was survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.