Pa. State Trooper Dies In The Line Of Duty,…Killer Commits Suicide

Funeral for a slain State Trooper

A 16-year-veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police died on Wednesday while responding to a domestic dispute call in northern Venango County. Authorities believe the suspect in his death was one of two dead people they found in the home.

Trooper Paul Richey, 40,was called to the home to check on Nancy Smith, who had not shown up for work for two days. He was then shot, reportedly by Nancy’s husband, Michael Smith.

The AP reports that Michael Smith had a history of drug use and violence and told his sister-in-law she “signed” his wife’s “death warrant” by calling to check on her Wednesday.

Police expect autopsy and ballistics tests to confirm Smith fatally shot his 53-year-old wife and Trooper Richey, when the trooper went to check on Nancy Smith after her sister called police Wednesday morning.

Police said it seems Smith killed his wife and then killed himself.

Court records show that Smith’s wife, Nancy Frey-Smith, obtained a protection-from-abuse order in 1997, as did the woman’s mother.

At the time, Smith had been charged with resisting arrest, stalking, reckless endangerment, harassment, making repairs or selling an offensive weapon, simple assault and possessing an instrument of crime.

Smith pleaded guilty to the stalking charge. All other charges were dropped. He was put on probation for three years.

When Smith filed a motion in 2000 to have his weapon returned, the court agreed under this condition: “permitted to hunt and carry sporting weapons for purpose of hunting.”(SOURCE–http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/22235614/detail.html)

Trooper Paul G. Richey, a 16-year veteran assigned to the Franklin barracks in northwestern Pennsylvania,sacrificed his life and not swerve from the path of duty,” state police Commissioner Frank E. Pawlowski said in a statement. “We will not forget his service or his sacrifice.”

Richey, of Franklin, is survived by a wife and two young children.

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Read more on this story here…

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/us/14brfs-STATETROOPER_BRF.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122550582