University City Police Department, Missouri
End of Watch Friday, December 12, 1969
Add to My HeroesWilbert J. Downey
Police Officer Wilbert Downey was shot and killed at the scene of a gas station robbery at 8341 Olive Boulevard.
He interrupted five men attempting a gas station robbery. When Officer Downey entered the gas station he tried to subdue the subject armed with a .22 caliber weapon. The man shot Officer Downey once before gaining control of Officer Downey's service weapon and then killed him.
The man, 18, was apprehended the next day in St. Louis and charged with murder. He was sentenced to death, however, the sentence was appealed and overturned and he was sentenced to life. He was paroled in April of 1982. In April of 1989 federal officers charged him with fraud when he lied on an application for a school bus driver position. His parole supervision has ended a few weeks earlier. The other four suspects were apprehended and sentenced to lesser terms in prison.
Officer Downey was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
Bio
- Age 34
- Tour Not available
- Badge 39
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Shotgun
- Offender Paroled in 1982
Most Recent Reflection
View all 14 ReflectionsMy father, Angelo Constantin, was a police reporter for the St. Louis Globe Democrat for 33 years. He bowled with Will Downey and considered him as one of his best friends. We lived in University City in a home less than a mile from where Officer Downey tragically lost his life. As an 11 year old child, I vividly remember seeing my father in despair and tears when he got the news of Officer Downey's death. Thank you for your service to your community, Will Downey, and for being such a great friend to my father, who passed in 2008. He and his family never forgot your sacrifice.
Diane Constantin
Family friend
June 18, 2025
Recent LODD Deaths

Deputy Sheriff Antonio Aleman
Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office, NM
EOW: July 8, 2025

Officer Miguel Cano
California Highway Patrol, CA
EOW: July 2, 2025

Deputy Sheriff Devin Mason
Darlington County Sheriff's Office, SC
EOW: July 1, 2025

Detention Officer Francisco Paul Flattes
Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: June 30, 2025

Police Officer Kelvin Patrick
Detroit Police Department, MI
EOW: February 6, 2025

Supervisory Special Agent Dennis M. Wagner, Jr.
United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation, US
EOW: March 5, 2025

Police Officer Kendall Isaiah Corder
Milwaukee Police Department, WI
EOW: June 29, 2025

Undersheriff Brandon Gaede
Phillips County Sheriff's Office, KS
EOW: June 27, 2025

Sergeant Shiou Deng
Los Angeles Police Department, CA
EOW: June 23, 2025