Franke Neal Lewis

Long Beach Police Department — Long Beach, CA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch December 13, 1975

Age 28

The Vigil Panel 116 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 27

Incident

Police Officer Franke Lewis was shot and killed when he went to investigate suspicious activity near his home after returning home from duty. A citizen had parked his car on the street and gone to sleep in it to avoid driving on the freeway while drowsy. A subject who was attempting to break into the car attacked the citizen. Officer Lewis, who was just arriving home following his shift, heard the commotion and went to investigate. As he approached the car the subject opened fire, killing him. The man fled the scene and has never been identified. A $75,000 reward has been offered in conjunction with the release of a sketch and vehicle description. Officer Lewis' wife was also home at the time and heard the shot that killed her husband.

Survivors

Officer Lewis is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-3EBA828C
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Franke is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Lewis served with the Long Beach Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Long Beach community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Lewis.

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

Agency

Department Long Beach Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Long Beach, Los Angeles County, CA

Platform Identity lbpd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 13, 1975

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Franke Neal Lewis served in the U.S. Army (1969â1971) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Franke Neal Lewis 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Long Beach Police Department, 13 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 46.4% of this agency's fallen.

Long Beach Police Department

of 28 officers

46.4% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious