Ronald Lee Trumbette
Agency patch
Police Officer

Ronald Lee Trumbette

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch May 23, 1975
Age 25
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Badge 4908
The Vigil Panel 115 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Ronald Trumbette was shot and killed while responding to a silent alarm in a warehouse at the New York Extract Company at 914 South Fifth Street in Philadelphia. As he entered the building, the suspect, who was hiding in the rafters overhead, jumped down onto him. The suspect then gained control of Officer Trumbette's weapon and shot him. Another officer critically wounded the suspect as he shot him three times. The 26-year-old suspect, with a long criminal record, mostly burglaries, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in August of 1976. His sentence was later commuted to life. Officer Trumbette served with the Philadelphia Police Department for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and parents.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Trumbette gave the Philadelphia Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Trumbette.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 23, 1975
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 25
Badge Number 4908
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Ronald is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1975, 163 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 21st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Ronald was 25. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Ronald had served 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

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Ronald among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Ronald Lee Trumbette

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch May 23, 1975

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 3-E

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