Cornelius A. O'Donnell

New Jersey State Police — West Trenton, NJ

Felonious

End of Watch July 16, 1945

Age 42

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

Badge 367

The Vigil Panel 81 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 83

Incident

Sergeant O'Donnell was shot and killed as he and another trooper escorted a prisoner back to New Jersey. The 30-year-old prisoner, a former mental patient wanted in Newark for murdering his wife with an axe, had been arrested in Pennsylvania and had agreed to turn himself in to New Jersey authorities. Sergeant O'Donnell and another trooper met the suspect on the Pennsylvania side of a railroad bridge and began to walk the suspect back across the river. As they got to the midpoint of the bridge the suspect attempted to jump over the railing, but was stopped by Sergeant O'Donnell. During the ensuing struggle the suspect was able to grab Sergeant O'Donnell's revolver and shot him twice in the abdomen, causing fatal wounds. He also shot the other trooper who later recovered from his wounds. He was captured later that night in a wooded area near the scene. On September 19, 1945, he was convicted of Sergeant O'Donnell's murder and sentenced to life. Four months later he was declared insane and the trial for his wife's murder was put off indefinitely. He died in prison December 18, 1962. Sergeant O'Donnell had served with the agency for 17 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-67BF24A5
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.
Sergeant O'Donnell gave the New Jersey State Police 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New Jersey. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant O'Donnell.

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

Agency

Department New Jersey State Police

Type State Police

Location West Trenton, NJ

Platform Identity njsp.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 16, 1945

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

Age 42

Badge Number 367

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Sergeant Cornelius A. O'Donnell 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 NJ, 229 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.4% of this state's fallen. That is 35.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At New Jersey State Police, 14 of 84 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 16.7% of this agency's fallen.

New Jersey State Police

of 84 officers

16.7% Felonious

NJ — Statewide

229

of 646 officers

35.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious