Wilbert J. Downey

University City Police Department — University City, MO

Felonious

End of Watch December 12, 1969

Age 34

Badge 39

The Vigil Panel 106 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Police Officer Wilbert Downey was shot and killed at the scene of a gas station robbery at 8341 Olive Boulevard. He interrupted five men attempting a gas station robbery. When Officer Downey entered the gas station he tried to subdue the subject armed with a .22 caliber weapon. The man shot Officer Downey once before gaining control of Officer Downey's service weapon and then killed him. The man, 18, was apprehended the next day in St. Louis and charged with murder. He was sentenced to death, however, the sentence was appealed and overturned and he was sentenced to life. He was paroled in April of 1982. In April of 1989 federal officers charged him with fraud when he lied on an application for a school bus driver position. His parole supervision has ended a few weeks earlier. The other four suspects were apprehended and sentenced to lesser terms in prison.

Survivors

Officer Downey was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-D29465E3
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Downey served with the University City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the University City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Downey.

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

Agency

Department University City Police Department

Location University City, MO

Platform Identity upd.stlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 12, 1969

Age 34

Badge Number 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Paroled in 1982

Police Officer Wilbert J. Downey is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At University City Police Department, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

University City Police Department

of 4 officers

100% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious