Robert A. Paris

Delaware State Police — Dover, DE

Felonious

End of Watch October 17, 1963

Age 28

Tour of Duty 4 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 98 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 20

Incident

Trooper Robert Paris was shot and killed while on a special burglary detail checking local motels. He and his partner encountered two men stealing televisions from rooms of a hotel at 3:40 am. When they approached the men a shootout ensued and Trooper Paris was fatally wounded by a shotgun blast. The two suspects and their getaway driver were apprehended following a large manhunt. The shooter, 30, was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. The the other two suspects, 26 and 29, were convicted of complicity in second degree murder and sentenced to 16 and 18 years in prison. One was paroled in January of 1969. The other subject, paroled on July 1, 1969, and living in Florida since his release, was jailed in Miami on June 22, 1978, for failure to report to his parole officer and several other parole violations. Delaware officials decided not to extradite him back and he was released from jail two months later. The killer was denied parole on November 18, 1976, In July of 1977 he was one of 130 inmates who were furloughed to Wilmington work release center due to prison overcrowding. On November 16, 1978, he was transferred to the Alabama State Penitentiary where he was paroled on November 16, 1982. He died from cancer in 1992. Trooper Paris had served with the agency for 4.5 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-DE-30368BA8
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.
Trooper Paris gave the Delaware State Police 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Delaware. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Paris.

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

Agency

Department Delaware State Police

Location Dover, DE

Platform Identity dsp.de.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 17, 1963

Tour of Duty 4 yrs 6 mo

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Paroled in 1982

Trooper Robert A. Paris 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 DE, 25 of 51 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 49% of this state's fallen. That is 5.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Delaware State Police, 9 of 21 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Delaware State Police

of 21 officers

42.9% Felonious

DE — Statewide

of 51 officers

49% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious