Incident
Location: South Carolina Incident Date: Sunday, September 2, 2018 Weapon: Person Offender: Charged with murder
Sergeant Matthew Mainieri died after being assaulted while attempting to break up a fight at a bar at 4124 US 17 Business in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
He was vacationing in the town and patronizing the bar when a fight broke out between other customers. When he attempted to break the group apart one of the aggressors turned on him and punched him in the head several times, causing severe head injuries.
Sergeant Mainieri was transported to a local hospital where he died the following day. The man who assaulted him was charged with murder following Sergeant Mainieri's death.
Sergeant Mainieri had served with the South Windsor Police Department for 20 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his mother and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CT-49406209- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Matthew. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
20 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Mainieri gave the South Windsor Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the South Windsor community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Mainieri.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Matthew Bradley Mainieri 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 CT, 74 of 169 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 43.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.4 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Matthew Bradley Mainieri's cause is highlighted.
How Matthew Bradley Mainieri Compares
Offender Outcome
Charged with murder
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Matthew Bradley Mainieri is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Matthew Bradley Mainieri was killed by person.