Ernest Purgatorio

Springfield Police Department — Springfield, IL

Felonious

End of Watch July 31, 1933

Age 26

The Vigil Panel 66 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 9

Incident

Detective Ernest Purgatorio was shot and killed while he and several other officers investigated a call at a local hotel. An elderly man was believed to have a young girl in his room and the girl's father wanted officers to retrieve her. When the detectives knocked on the man's door and identified themselves, he replied that he would shoot the first person through the door. One of the officers returned to the police station to obtain tear gas and then returned to the scene. The officers kicked the door in, but the man stuck a rifle through the opened door and fired a shot, striking Detective Purgatorio. The man then climbed down a rope ladder to another room and exited to the hotel lobby where he was arrested by other officers. The subject was convicted of manslaughter and served 10 years in prison.

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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.
Detective Purgatorio served with the Springfield Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Springfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Purgatorio.

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

Agency

Department Springfield Police Department

Location Springfield, IL

Platform Identity spd.sangamon.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 31, 1933

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Offender Released after 10 years

Detective Ernest Purgatorio 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Springfield Police Department, 9 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 90% of this agency's fallen.

Springfield Police Department

of 10 officers

90% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious