John P. McAuliffe

United States Postal Inspection Service — Arlington, VA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch March 14, 1960

Age 36

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 95 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 13

Incident

Investigative Aide John McAuliffe and Investigative Aide Benedetto Spizzirri were shot and killed in Chicago, Illinois, after arresting three men who had stolen two bags of mail from the Chicago Post Office loading dock. The two aides had been conducting a stakeout of the post office as the result of a recent rash of thefts. After observing the theft of the two bags of mail, the aides stopped the suspect's vehicle at the corner of Clark Street and Roosevelt Road and took the men into custody at gunpoint. After searching the three men they were placed in the back of the government vehicle. One of the aides then attempted to move the suspect's vehicle out of the travel lane but could not get the car started. One of the three subjects offered to assist getting the car started and was allowed to assist. He reached under the dashboard, where he had hidden a gun, and slipped it into his shirt sleeve. The car was then started and moved out of the roadway. When the subject was again placed into the vehicle he drew the .32-caliber pistol and shot both aides in the back of the head, killing them both as they sat in the front of the vehicle. The three suspects fled but were later apprehended as the result of a joint task force setup to locate them. The suspect identified as the gunman, 37, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On February 27, 1968, his sentence was commuted to two concurrent terms of 120 years each. The two accomplices, 32 and 36, were sentenced to 199 years in prison. Investigative Aide McAuliffe had served with the United States Postal Inspection Service for eight years and was a Korean War veteran and the recipient of a Purple Heart.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-DA10F184
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 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.
Investigative Aide McAuliffe gave the United States Postal Inspection Service 8 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department United States Postal Inspection Service

Type Federal Agency

Location Arlington, VA

Platform Identity uspis.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 14, 1960

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

John P. McAuliffe served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Investigative Aide John P. McAuliffe 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In VA, 394 of 655 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.2% of this state's fallen. That is 60.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Postal Inspection Service, 6 of 14 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

United States Postal Inspection Service

of 14 officers

42.9% Felonious

VA — Statewide

394

of 655 officers

60.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious