Antonio Joselito Sapinoso
Agency patch
Investigator

Antonio Joselito Sapinoso

Felonious
End of Watch April 2, 2003
Age 34
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 150 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Investigator Sapinoso was shot and killed after being taken hostage when he arrived home from his shift.

He was in uniform and exiting his patrol car when the suspect, who had been involved in a domestic disturbance with Investigator Sapinoso's sister, approached him at gunpoint and disarmed him. Investigator Sapinoso had intervened in the previous incident as a deputy and as her brother.

The suspect handcuffed Investigator Sapinoso with the deputy's own handcuffs. He took him inside his home where he forced the deputy to call his father into the living room. The suspect held both men at gunpoint for several hours during a standoff with SWAT officers. At 4:20 am, the suspect told negotiators he was coming out of the house but then, without warning, shot and killed Investigator Sapinoso and his father. The suspect then surrendered.

The man was convicted of Investigator Sapinoso's murder and was sentenced to death.

Investigator Sapinoso had served with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office for 6 years, and was assigned to the White Collar Crime Unit.

He is survived by his mother and sister.

Survivors

He is survived by his mother and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-8F96CBD1
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
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.
Investigator Sapinoso gave the Greenville County Sheriff's Office 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Greenville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Investigator Sapinoso.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Greenville, Greenville County, SC
Platform Identity gcso.greenville.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 2, 2003
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Investigator Antonio Joselito Sapinoso is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In SC, 272 of 441 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Greenville County Sheriff's Office, 14 of 17 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 82.4% of this agency's fallen.

Greenville County Sheriff's Office
14
of 17 officers
82.4% Felonious
SC — Statewide
272
of 441 officers
61.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Antonio Joselito Sapinoso's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Antonio Joselito Sapinoso Compares

Age at Death
34
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
6
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Antonio Joselito Sapinoso is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Antonio Joselito Sapinoso was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909