Plainville Police Department, Connecticut
End of Watch: Monday, November 21, 1977
Age: 28
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: 9
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 21, 1977
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Patrolman Robert Holcomb was shot and killed while answering a residential burglary call.
Patrolman Holcomb was on a residential burglary call at a home in Plainville when two men ran out of the house. Patrolman Holcomb chased one man, who was waiting for him in the woods across the street. The burglar shot him once in the arm and then stood over him and fired four more shots into his chest. Patrolman Holcomb died shortly after at New Britain General Hospital.
The 33-year-old suspect was convicted of Patrolman Holcomb's murder and sentenced to life. On January 9, 2015, he was granted a parole that was quickly revoked after an outraged family and police, who were not notified of the hearing, expressed their disappointment. He will be considered for parole again in 2020.
He was not paroled in 2020. As of December 15, 2022, he was in prison.
Patrolman Holcomb had served with the Plainville Police Department for 5 years. He is survived by his wife and a 3-year-old son.
A street in Plainville was later renamed Robert Holcomb Way in his memory.