Police Officer Carlton X. Fletcher

Carlton X. Fletcher

Police Officer Carlton Fletcher was shot and killed after being ambushed by an armed robbery suspect while working off-duty security at a local convenience store on the 8700 block of Greenbelt Road in Lanham, Maryland.

The suspect also murdered the store's manager.

Although the suspect was initially sentenced to two consecutive life terms for the murder a judge reduced the sentence to 25 years and the man was paroled in 2000. Neither the family of Officer Fletcher nor his agency were notified of the suspect's release beforehand. In 2002 the suspect petitioned the court to have his name legally changed.

Officer Fletcher was a US Air Force veteran and had served with the Prince George's County Police Department for seven years.