Roy Joseph Sergei

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA

Felonious

End of Watch October 26, 1987

Age 41

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

Badge 2886

The Vigil Panel 132 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Detective Joseph Sergei was shot and mortally wounded by a man who had just shot another officer during a subject stop. Detective Sergei and several other officers had responded to a domestic disturbance at 371 Commonwealth Avenue. Two officers who had gone to the back of the building encountered an unrelated person attempting to climb a 12-foot fence. The officers stopped the man, and as they began to pat him down, he suddenly reached into his coat and fired a shot through his clothing, striking one of the officers. The man then fled through the alley to Massachusetts Avenue, where he encountered Detective Sergei at the front of the building. The man shot Detective Sergei as he continued to flee. Both officers were transported to a hospital in critical condition. Detective Sergei died 17 days later. After several weeks the other officer recovered and returned to work. In 2006 he had to retire because of depression and other mental issues that resulted from the shooting. Sadly he lost everything and ended up in a homeless shelter five years later. The 35-year-old suspect was identified. He had recently been released from a Texas Federal prison where he served a sentence for bank robbery. He was seen several days later in San Francisco. San Francisco police searched a storage unit he had rented and found two pipe bombs. It was later discovered he was going to use them to rob a bank. In January of 1988, he was placed on the FBI's ten most wanted list. On September 4, 1988, with the help of Mexican police, FBI agents apprehended him in his luxury condominium at a seaside resort in Guadalajara, Mexico. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life plus 20 years with no parole. As of April 8, 2023, he was in prison. Detective Sergei had served with the Boston Police Department for 17 years. He is survived by his wife, three children, and parents. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Detective.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, three children, and parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-020BFFA7
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.
Detective Sergei gave the Boston Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergei.

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

Agency

Department Boston Police Department

Location Roxbury Crossing, MA

Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 26, 1987

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

Age 41

Badge Number 2886

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; 9 mm

Offender Sentenced to life

Detective Roy Joseph Sergei 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Boston Police Department, 45 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.5% of this agency's fallen.

Boston Police Department

of 106 officers

42.5% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious