Roll of Honor

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Detective

John Apanites Jr.

Cleveland Division of Police — Cleveland, OH

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch April 7, 1969

Age 27

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Badge 74

The Vigil Panel 105 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 118

Incident

Detective John Apanites was shot and killed as he and another officer questioned two shoplifting suspects, a 27-year-old man and his 20-year-old female companion, at a local clothing store at 322 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. Around 7:45 p.m., as the officers waited for a patrol car to arrive, a struggle ensued between the officers and the male suspect. The suspect and the officers exchanged gunshots, and all four were wounded. The male suspect fled to a city bus, where a patrolman arrested him. Detective Apanites died at the scene, and his partner was seriously wounded. The female suspect pleaded guilty to shoplifting and was sentenced to 90 days and $150 fine. The male suspect, who had been arrested 32 times and was out on two separate bonds involving two different armed robberies, was sentenced to death for Detective Apanites' murder. His sentence was later commuted to life. He was denied parole in February 2016. He will be eligible for parole again on December 1, 2025. Detective Apanites was a United States Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve veteran who served with the Cleveland Division of Police for 18 months. He had previously served with the FBI for six months and the East Cleveland Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, daughter, mother, and father, who had also served with the Cleveland Division of Police.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-EA8B9965
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. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. John 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.
Detective Apanites gave the Cleveland Division of Police 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cleveland 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 Cleveland Division of Police

Type Other

Location Cleveland, OH

Platform Identity cdpd.cuyahoga.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 7, 1969

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 27

Badge Number 74

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

John Apanites Jr. served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detective John Apanites Jr. 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 97,784 officers honored here.

In OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 57.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Cleveland Division of Police, 83 of 119 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.7% of this agency's fallen.

Cleveland Division of Police

of 119 officers

69.7% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,784 officers

0% Felonious