Police Officer Wilbert J. Downey, University City Police Department, Missouri

Police Officer Wilbert J. Downey

University City Police Department, Missouri

End of Watch Friday, December 12, 1969

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Wilbert 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

robbery

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My 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