Roll of Honor

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Trooper II

Philip Joseph Lamonaco

New Jersey State Police — West Trenton, NJ

Felonious Veteran →

End of Watch December 21, 1981

Age 32

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

Badge 2663

The Vigil Panel 125 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 83

Incident

Trooper Philip Lamonaco was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Knowlton Township on Interstate 80. The incident occurred when he stopped two members of a radical environmental group known as the United Freedom Front on I-80. The suspects robbed banks to fund their radical operations, which included bombing energy sites. Trooper Lamonaco had disarmed one suspect when the other opened fire hitting him nine times. Trooper Lamonaco managed to return fire, wounding the shooter. Trooper Lamonaco was found face down in the snow by a passing motorist and died in a hospital a short time later. The suspect's bullet-riddled car was found six miles away, along with the blood stains of the shooter and both suspects' fingerprints. The shooter was apprehended, convicted of murder and several bombings, and sentenced to death. He died in prison in 2005. The other suspect was apprehended on April 24, 1985, in Norfolk, Virginia. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life plus 58 years for bombing convictions. He died in prison on July 31, 2019. On July 19, 1983, Lieutenant Lester Pagano was killed in an automobile accident while investigating Trooper Lamonaco's murder. Lieutenant Pagano had finished following up on leads in reference to the case when the accident occurred. Trooper Lamonaco was a United States Marine Corps Vietnam veteran and had served with the New Jersey State Police for 11 years. He was named Trooper of The Year in 1979. He is survived by his wife and three children. His son serves with the New Jersey State Police. A seven-mile portion of I-80 was renamed and dedicated in Trooper Lamonaco's memory.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-5E831AF8
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Trooper II Lamonaco gave the New Jersey State Police 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New Jersey, 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 New Jersey State Police

Type State Police

Location West Trenton, NJ

Platform Identity njsp.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 21, 1981

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

Age 32

Badge Number 2663

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Philip Joseph Lamonaco served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper II Philip Joseph Lamonaco is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,588 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 18.5 percentage points below the national rate of 53.9%.

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

17,559

of 32,588 officers

53.9% Felonious