Police Officer Thomas George Tarantino

Thomas George Tarantino

Police Officer Thomas Tarantino was shot and killed after encountering the driver of a disabled vehicle in the median of Highway 4. When Officer Tarantino attempted to arrest the driver for having a concealed .22 caliber pistol, the suspect resisted. He gained control of Officer Tarantino's service revolver and shot him four times.

Officer Tarantino had just finished the day shift and was returning to the station when the incident occurred. A state trooper who just happened to pass by saw Officer Tarantino lying on the ground and apprehended his killer.

The suspect, 29, a convicted felon recently paroled for a 1965 manslaughter conviction, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on April 1, 1974. He was denied parole on December 3, 2019. His next parole hearing is on January 4, 2023.

Officer Tarantino was the first officer killed in the line of duty serving with the Martinez Police Department. He was survived by his wife and two sons.