Benjamin Warren Worcester

Hayward Police Department — Hayward, CA

Felonious

End of Watch March 25, 1987

Age 29

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Badge 360

The Vigil Panel 132 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Officer Ben Worcester was stabbed to death while investigating a suspicious person several blocks from the police station. The suspect had parked his camper in front of a home on Elmurst Street and Broadmore Avenue, and neighbors became suspicious, so they called the police. Officer Worcester and two other officers arrived and asked the suspect to come out of the camper, but he refused. A struggle ensued after making contact with the suspect. The suspect was able to get behind Officer Worcester, produced a kitchen knife, and began stabbing him in the vest several times. He then stabbed Officer Worcester in the neck, killing him. The suspect, 44, who had recently been released after spending nine years in prison for killing a couple and was on probation for biting a sheriff's deputy, was convicted of Officer Worcester's murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. He was denied parole on February 8, 2002, and in 2018. In October 2022, he waived his right to a parole hearing for one year; however, he was granted medical parole in December 2022. Officer Worcester had served with the Hayward Police Department for five years. He was survived by his daughter, ex-wife, brother, sister, and fiancée. He is buried in the Chapel Of The Chimes Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Union City, California.

Survivors

He was survived by his daughter, ex-wife, brother, sister, and fiancée.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-4B181A9E
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Worcester gave the Hayward Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hayward community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Worcester.

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

Agency

Department Hayward Police Department

Type Other

Location Hayward, Alameda County, CA

Platform Identity hpd.alameda.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 25, 1987

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 29

Badge Number 360

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon

Officer Benjamin Warren Worcester 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 97,756 officers honored here.

In CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Hayward Police Department, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Hayward Police Department

of 5 officers

80% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious