Thomas George Matulis

Milwaukee Police Department — Milwaukee, WI

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch July 10, 1974

Age 27

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 114 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 68

Incident

Officer Thomas Matulis and Officer Robert Riley were shot and killed while attempting to intervene with a disorderly man outside of a local bar. The two officers were off-duty and leaving a baseball game when they observed the man. As they attempted to calm the man he produced a handgun and shot both officers. The suspect was convicted of two counts of murder but had the convictions overturned on appeal by claiming self defense. Officer Matulis had been with the agency for four years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WI-FF73DE36
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. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Thomas is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Matulis gave the Milwaukee Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Milwaukee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Matulis.

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

Agency

Department Milwaukee Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, WI

Platform Identity mpd.milwaukee.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 10, 1974

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Thomas George Matulis served in the U.S. Navy (1968â1969) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Thomas George Matulis 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 WI, 159 of 317 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50.2% of this state's fallen. That is 50.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Milwaukee Police Department, 42 of 69 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this agency's fallen.

Milwaukee Police Department

of 69 officers

60.9% Felonious

WI — Statewide

159

of 317 officers

50.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious