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 13 ReflectionsRest in peace Officer Downey.
Rabbi Lewis S. Davis
December 11, 2020
Recent LODD Deaths
Investigator John Hampton Coddou
Harris County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: April 23, 2024
Police Officer Jordan Wingate
Oakland Police Department, CA
EOW: April 20, 2024
Police Officer Luis M. Huesca
Chicago Police Department, IL
EOW: April 21, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Tobin Bolter
Ada County Sheriff's Office, ID
EOW: April 21, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Alfredo "Freddy" Flores
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, CA
EOW: April 20, 2024
Investigator Brian Herbert
Osage Nation Police Department, TR
EOW: April 17, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Fred Fislar
Hendricks County Sheriff's Office, IN
EOW: April 16, 2024
Police Officer Michael E. Jensen
Syracuse Police Department, NY
EOW: April 14, 2024
Lieutenant Michael Hoosock
Onondaga County Sheriff's Office, NY
EOW: April 14, 2024