Springdale Police Department, Arkansas
End of Watch: Sunday, December 21, 1975
Age: 22
Tour of Duty: 1 month
Badge Number: 310
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 21, 1975
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Patrolman John Hussey was shot and killed after being abducted by two men during a traffic stop. They handcuffed him to a nearby tree and shot him with his own service revolver three times .
The 39-year-old shooter was apprehended on May 9, 1977, by two FBI agents in Denver, Colorado. He had been placed on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List a few weeks after he murdered Patrolman Hussey. He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. He escaped from prison on May 9, 1988 but was later recaptured on September 6, 1988, after being profiled on the television show "America's Most Wanted." A tip led to his capture at a homeless shelter in Austin, Texas. He was found asleep on a cot with a sawed-off shotgun by his side. He died in prison in 1995.
The other 30-year-old suspect was apprehended in Conrad, Montana, on June 8, 1978, by Pondera County deputies and FBI agents. He was returned to Arkansas, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life. He died in prison in 2019.
Patrolman Hussey had only served with the Springdale Police Department for six weeks. He was survived by his wife.