Patrolman Sanford Stanley, Jr.

Sanford Stanley, Jr.

Patrolman Sanford Stanley was shot and killed by a man he had given a warning during a traffic stop.

It was never determined what prompted the suspect to drive up and start firing, but Patrolman Stanley had seen the suspect hit a bridge abutment earlier in the evening of July 19, 1976, and let him go with a warning.

After the warning, the suspect went to his house, grabbed three guns, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .22 Magnum revolver and a .22-250 rifle, filled a bag with extra ammunition and went looking for Patrolman Stanley.

Patrolman Stanley had returned to the police station and was standing in a back room when the suspect walked through an unlocked side door, strolled up to the officer and shot him with the shotgun.

Patrolman Stanley made his way through the station to the front, but the suspect chased him and shot him again with the revolver.

The 31-year-old suspect was convicted of Patrolman Stanley's murder and sentenced to life. He was denied parole for the fourth time in 2006 and 2016. He will be eligible for parole again on December 1, 2030.

Patrolman Stanley had served with the agency for 17 years and is survived by his four daughters.