Robert Whittington Klein

Arkansas State Police — Little Rock, AR

Felonious

End of Watch October 15, 1984

Age 39

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Badge 73

The Vigil Panel 128 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 22

Incident

Corporal Robert Klein was shot and killed by an escaped convict at 11:45 pm. Corporal Klein and another trooper were investigating a truck that had been reported stolen 30 minutes earlier. The convicts had broken into a home, tied up the elderly occupants, stolen several items, including guns, and broken into a neighboring house. As Corporal Klein was inspecting the truck, a shot was fired, and Corporal Klein fell to the ground. The other trooper fired in the direction of the blast. The two escaped convicts hid in a greenhouse and attic of a home until they surrendered around 5 am. The killer was convicted of Corporal Klein's murder and sentenced to death; he was executed on May 7, 1992. The other convict was sentenced to 86 years. Corporal Klein had served with the Arkansas State Police for 12 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, three sons, and a brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-EA06D875
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.
Corporal Klein gave the Arkansas State Police 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Arkansas. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corporal Klein.

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

Agency

Department Arkansas State Police

Location Little Rock, AR

Platform Identity asp.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 15, 1984

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 39

Badge Number 73

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun; 12 gauge

Offender Executed

Corporal Robert Whittington Klein 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 AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 12.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Arkansas State Police, 7 of 23 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 30.4% of this agency's fallen.

Arkansas State Police

of 23 officers

30.4% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious