Roll of Honor
Incident
Special Constable John Bodnar was stabbed to death while attempting to break up a disturbance between a group of people near his home shortly after midnight.
He was attacked and pushed to the ground by a male subject. As he lay on the ground a female subject stabbed him in the chest and leg before the group fled. Constable Bodnar was found by a passerby shortly before 1:00 am and taken to Perth Amboy General Hospital where he died later in the day.
The woman who stabbed Constable Bodner was convicted of murdering him and sentenced to eight to ten years in prison. The man who pushed him down was convicted of atrocious assault.
Constable Bodner had served as a special constable for the borough for seven years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-F027166A- 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.
Special Constable Bodnar gave the Carteret Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Carteret community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Constable Bodnar.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Constable John Bodnar Sr. 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 Carteret Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Bodnar Sr.'s cause is highlighted.
How John Bodnar Sr. Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Bodnar Sr. is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Bodnar Sr. was killed by edged weapon; knife.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Carteret Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
