Detective Walter T. Hart D1
Age: 49
Served 26 years
May 1, 1929 to September 19, 1955
On September 19, 1955, at 11:50 p.m., ex-convicts from Kilby Prison; Lemuel Trotter, a twenty-eight year old black male of Shubuta, Mississippi; Robert Lee Jackson, a forty year old black male of 623 West Sixth Street; and Willie Barnet, a twenty-four year old black male of 507 Carlisle went to the Grey Eagle Café, located at 201 West Sixth Street in District Two, with intent to rob the café and its customers. Detective Walter Hart, of 3717 Applegate, a twenty-one year detective, including twenty years in the Homicide Squad, was a customer in the café. Trotter carried a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver and Barnett a .32 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Jackson waited outside as a lookout. Detective Hart engaged the two gunmen with his Colt Police Positive .38 caliber revolver. He wounded Barnett and Trotter shot Detective Hart in the heart. He staggered to the telephone, tried calling for help, collapsed, and died. He was pronounced dead by Dr. Goettle at 12:36 a.m. at the Cincinnati General Hospital.

Detective Hart left a wife, Lillian, and two grown children. A bronze bust of him is still displayed at the Hart family pharmacy at 4861 Glenway Avenue, near Guerley Road.
Patrolmen George Reese, Highway Safety Bureau, and Wilson Day, District 2, heard the shots, responded to the café, and soon after found and apprehended Willie Barnett as he hid in a hallway at 229 West 6th Street. Detectives Marvin Friedman and John Ritter recovered personal papers and money belonging to victims robbed in the café. Barnett was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder with a recommendation of no mercy.

Jackson went to his home, changed clothes, and caught a cab. Patrolmen William Breckel and William Hayes, District One, conducted stops of vehicles going over the C&O Bridge. They stopped the cab Jackson had caught, identified him as a suspect and arrested him. Patrolman Harry Batters, Vice Squad, Patrolman Lehman Foster, District Four, and Detectives John Greene, Eugene Moore and Donald F. Roney recovered the murder weapon and Detective Hart’s wallet in Jackson’s apartment. Jackson was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder with a recommendation of no mercy. Robert Lee Jackson was executed almost three years later on July 7, 1958.

Trotter escaped through a side door and through an alley. He caught a cab and went to 1543 Baymiller Street and changed clothes. Eventually, he went to went to Newport, Kentucky and jumped on a freight train making his way to Mobile, Alabama. Using the name Reco Glover, he was apprehended almost 1½ years later, on February 8, 1957, in Selma, Alabama. Lieutenant Charles Martin, Crime Bureau, interviewed Trotter and extradited him to Cincinnati. Trotter was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder with a recommendation for no mercy. Lemuel Trotter was executed almost three years later on July 7, 1958.

Patrolman Roger Winkleman

During November 1957, while attempting to arrest Jack Wethington and James Barnett at the Country Kitchen restaurant at Paddock and Vine, Patrolman Winkelman sustained injuries that some believe to be sufficient to have contributed to a fatal heart attack during February 1958. After a review of the case by the Firemen and Policemen’s Death Benefit Fund, survivor benefits were paid to his wife. Patrolman Winkelman was also survived by two daughters.

Patrolman Donald Martin P338
Age 29
Served: 5 years
April 30, 1956 to March 11, 1961

On March 11, 1961, Walter Walls, Jesse Walls, and Charles Jillson were in the Downtown Lincoln Mercury car lot, 715 Reading Road, for the purpose of stealing a battery from one of the cars. The Wallses entered the lot on foot while Jillson waited in the car. About 3 a.m., Patrolman Donald Martin, of 4300 Foley Road, a recipient of three bronze stars during the Korean War, pulled his patrol car onto the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) parking lot at 721 Reading Road, exited his vehicle and walked onto the car lot. A violent struggle ensued; so violent that Patrolman Martin’s blouse was ripped at the lapel and several buttons were torn from his uniform. Walter Walls, possibly with Jesse’s assistance, gained control of Patrolman Martin’s .38 caliber service revolver and shot Patrolman Martin in the chest. Patrolman Martin turned and ran with Walter Walls in pursuit, firing into Martin’s back.

At 3:10 a.m., Jack Wenner, Hugh Moore, and Harold Stiver, all of Pitt, Ohio, were northbound at 721 Reading Road when they observed the chase and continued shooting. They observed Patrolman Martin with his hands in the air, Walls fire again into his back and, after he fell to the ground, Walls firing a final shot into his head.

Jillson drove away and Walter Walls fired a shot at Jillson’s Cadillac. Walter Walls ran across Reading Road and up Dandridge Street. While going up a muddy embankment, he fell, pushing the revolver partially into the mud. Walls discarded Patrolman Martin’s gun and his own shirt and jacket into a trash can in the rear of 542 Dandridge Street. Jesse Walls ran eastbound through the Nabisco lot toward the railroad tracks behind the Elsinore Warehouse.

Harold Stiver exited the witness vehicle and tried to assist Patrolman Martin. The others drove to a gas station to call the police. By the time the police arrived, the offenders were gone. Sergeant Max Abel was the first car on the scene. Detective Elam took photographs.

Patrolman Martin left a wife, Alethea, and children. They were also in the process of adopting an infant. Mrs. Martin was the daughter of then Chief of Detectives, Henry Sandman.

Numerous detectives worked the case initially and sporadically over the next four decades. A young detective who had just been trained in a “new, state-of-the-art” process of plaster casting, made an impression of the hole in the mud made by the Martin’s revolver in the muddy embankment, confirming Walls’s route. The jacket in the trashcan was examined and found to have “Negroid” hairs attached. Therefore, the early investigation focused on a black suspect or suspects. A specific man, a black male named Murph, was being considered by Lieutenant Martin (no relation). He worked on a “Tip Sheet” and determined that Murph was in jail on the day of the murder. He closed out the Tip Sheet placed it in his Desk Bin. That day, Lieutenant Martin suffered a massive heart attack and died. The closed Tip Sheet was not found until some time later, which probably stalled the investigation. Later, it was concluded that the hairs transferred to the jacket when it was placed with commingled trash.

This crime went unsolved until 2005 when a tipster called the Homicide Unit with some information. That information turned out to be inaccurate, but it caused the case to be reopened. Two Homicide Unit detectives, Ballman and Schare, neither of whom was born yet when Patrolman Martin was slain, found Jesse Walls. After further investigation, they found that Jillson was never heard from again, probably also killed by Walter Walls. Walter Walls had died during 2004. They talked to Walter Walls’ son and daughter who immediately asked why it had taken the detectives so many years to ask them about their father killing “that policeman” in 1961. Walter Walls was such an abusive father, husband, etc. everyone was too frightened to tell the story until after his death. The detectives and Hamilton County Prosecutor closed the case by the “death of the offender”, Walter Walls.

Sergeant Albert F. Weller S25
Age 51
Served: 30 years
June 14, 1937 to August 6, 1967
Sergeant Weller, of 5917 Kenneth, suffered a massive coronary on August 6, 1967, after quelling a near riot on the Jubilee Riverboat at the Public Landing.

Sergeant Weller left a wife, Virginia. His sister, Ruth Weller, was one of the first policewomen hired by the Police Department and she served a full career and retired.

Detective Howard F. Smith D12
Age: 55
Served 31½ years
November 1, 1940 to September 13, 1972
On December 30, 1971, Detective Smith was working a protection detail at the Fifth Third Bank, 2026 Central Parkway, when Raymond Sams, a nineteen year old black male of 674 Glenwood Avenue, and Isaac Beasley, a seventeen year old black male, entered to rob the bank. Beasley pointed his firearm at Detective Smith and pulled the trigger, but the firearm was jammed. Sams then shot Detective Smith. Sams and Beasley were arrested by Lt. James Daley, Detective Bluhm, and Specialists Heinzelman, J. Day, Gus Feldman, and Wilson Day. Detective Smith lived for 8½ months before finally expiring on September 13, 1972. He was pronounced dead at 3:30 a.m. by Dr. J. Krautmann.
Detective Smith left a wife, Frances.

Raymond Sams was sentenced to die in the electric chair. However, his sentence was commuted and he was paroled during September 2002. He currently resides in Avondale.
Isaac Beasley was sentenced to die in the electric chair. However, his sentence was commuted and he was paroled during June 2002. He currently resides in Avondale.

Patrolman David L. Cole P160
Age: 23
Served 5 years
July 20, 1969 to July 17, 1974
On July 17, 1974, about 12:40 a.m., Patrolman David Cole (Car 706), of 1438 Tallberry, and Patrolman Richard Newsom (Car 705) were dispatched to a report of a burglary in progress at the United Dairy Farmers at 2372 Florence Avenue near Gilbert Avenue. A female witness called from an apartment on Florence Avenue to report a man on the roof of the store. Lieutenant Robert Morgan, Sergeant Handy Matthews and Patrolmen Robert Schulte, Richard Sizemore, Daniel O’Malley, Gary Viering, Terry Kramer and Edward Wilson also responded. Roland Augustus Reaves, a 23-year-old black male from Chicago, was on the roof. Ricardo Lewis Woods, a 24-year-old black male of 2035 Auburn Avenue, was near the rear door. Both were waiting to ambush the night manager with the night’s receipts. The duo heard sirens from fire apparatus responding to an unrelated run and fled the store south on Florence Avenue.

Patrolman Cole drove up Florence Avenue toward the store and found two black males walking down Florence Avenue. Patrolman Cole stopped his vehicle near the two and walked toward them. Reaves pulled a Rossi .38 caliber revolver and fired several shots, striking Patrolman Cole. Ricardo Lewis Woods while running away pulled a .22 revolver and also shot him. Patrolman Cole returned two shots from his Smith & Wesson Model 10 .38 caliber revolver, fell to the ground, and fired twice more before he became too weak to pull the trigger. Reaves walked over to Patrolman Cole, stood over him and shot him as he lay on the ground.

Patrolman Rick Sizemore ran to the sound of the gunfire and found Patrolman Cole lying in the street still alive, but shot five times in the face, torso and left arm. He was placed on a stretcher and transported by Patrolman Schulte (Car 715) to General Hospital. He died at 1:15 a.m. and was pronounced by Dr. R. Rooney. Homicide Squad Detectives Ernest Thompson and Edward Ledwin responded to the scene.

Patrolman Cole is buried in Saint Peters Cemetery, New Richmond, Ohio. He left a wife, Cheryl, and his mother and father, James Cole, a Patrolman for the Cincinnati Police Department.

Homicide Squad Commander, Lieutenant Daniel Cash responded and took charge of the investigation. Lieutenant Cash, Sergeant Paul Morgan and Detectives Robert Meiszer, William Dunn, Frank Sefton, Ed Heinzelman, George Ebbers and Jerry Gramke arrested Roland Reaves at 10:00 a.m. on July 18, 1974, at 2035 Auburn Avenue. During the investigation, detectives found that on February 10, 1972, Chicago Police had found the body of Jeanette Reaves, Rowland’s wife, in the locked trunk of a cab stolen on February 8. She had frozen to death. A Chicago judge released Reaves on Murder charges on May 8, 1972, because he had not been brought to a preliminary hearing in a timely manner. Chicago Police signed a fresh warrant on May 9, 1972, but had no further contact with him before the Cole killing. Reaves confessed to killing Patrolman Cole, was charged and convicted and sentenced to die by electrocution, but his death penalty was commuted to life imprisonment. During June 2005, he was incarcerated at the London Correctional Institute. He has a parole hearing scheduled for May 2007.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and state and county agencies arrested Ricardo Woods on July 19, 1974, at 510 Plainwood Avenue, Stonewood, West Virginia. He confessed to the killing, was charged, convicted and sentenced to die by electrocution, but his death penalty was commuted to life. He was incarcerated until September 2, 1994, and released on parole. Neither the family nor the Hamilton County Prosecutor were notified of his parole hearing and no objection was raised. His whereabouts are unknown, but his last known address was in California.

Sergeant Charles F. Handorf S64
Age: 49
Served 22 years
September 15, 1952 to December 8, 1974
On December 8, 1974, at 1:45 a.m., Sergeant Handorf and other officers surrounded a house on Home City Avenue. Inside, Herbert Merz, a thirty-eight year old white male, of 6438 Home City Avenue, barricaded himself after having fired shots from the house. Sergeant Handorf was crouched down below a rock wall along the driveway. Merz fired a shot from the second floor window striking Handorf in the head, killing him. The other officers returned fire, killing Merz. Sergeant Handorf was transported to General Hospital by Police Officers Phemann and Rinear where he was pronounced dead by Dr. Troop at 3:00 a.m.

Sergeant Handorf left a wife.

Police Officer William J. Loftin P465
Age: 35
Served almost 9 years
September 25, 1966 to August 26, 1975
On August 26, 1975, at 10:45 p.m., Officer Loftin was investigating a report of a person discharging a firearm at the Clock Bar at 3450 Burnet Avenue. Outside the bar, he met with a man who matched the description, Cleophus Collins, a fifty-three year old black male. Collins pulled a handgun and shot and killed Officer Loftin. Collins was arrested by Officers Robb and Payton of District 7.

Cleophus Collins was sentenced to die in the electric chair, but the sentence was commuted to life. During June 2006, he was incarcerated in the Pickaway Correctional Institute. He has a parole hearing scheduled for June 2010.