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Corporal

Robert Glen Owen

Erie Police Department — Erie, PA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch December 29, 1980

Age 40

Tour of Duty 9 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 272 · Column 2 · Line 14 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 13

Incident

Corporal Robert Owen was shot and killed while on duty behind a warehouse on West 18th Street near Cranberry Street. His body was found in the early morning hours of December 29th, but investigators believe he was shot shortly before midnight on the 28th. His body was lying about 75 feet away from his patrol car with a single bullet wound to the chest. The murder weapon was his own, a Colt Trooper Mark III .357, although the gun was not immediately found. The condition of Corporal Owen's jacket and shirt indicated that he was likely involved in a struggle before he was shot. His keys and a set of handcuffs with one cuff partially open were found near the start of the bloody trail north of the patrol car and several feet away from the body, suggesting perhaps that the officer might have either attempted to reach his car or was partially dragged in that direction. Also present were cigarette butts from two different brands of cigarettes and a lighter. A man walking his dogs discovered the unattended police car and flashlight and called in the report. Investigators later determined that the man had also picked up the gun in the woods while he was walking but disposed of the gun after realizing it had been the weapon that killed Corporal Owen. He later admitted taking the gun and, after passing three polygraph tests, was cleared as a suspect. The gun was recovered and had traces of Corporal Owen's blood on and in the barrel leading investigators to believe it was shot at close range. No suspects were ever identified or apprehended in connection with his death. Corporal Owen was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Erie Police department for nine and a half years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Robert is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Corporal Owen gave the Erie Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Erie community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Erie Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Erie, Erie County, PA

Platform Identity epd.erie.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 29, 1980

Tour of Duty 9 yrs 6 mo

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Robert Glen Owen served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Robert is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1980, 127 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 37th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Robert was 40. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Robert had served 9.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded