Roll of Honor
Incident
Private William Clements and Private Robert Yeszerski, of the Prince George's County Police Department, were shot and killed while supervising the towing of a vehicle from an apartment complex parking lot on Greig Court in Seat Pleasant. The owner of the vehicle had threatened Private Clements two days earlier when he was warned that the vehicle would be towed. As the tow truck driver was preparing to leave with the vehicle, the owner approached the officers, pulled out a .38 caliber handgun, and shot both several times. The suspect was shot and wounded by another Seat Pleasant police officer arriving on the scene. The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life April 17, 1969. Private Clements was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Seat Pleasant Police Department for four years. He had previously served with the Mt. Rainer Police Department and Brentwood Police Department. He is survived by his wife and child and is buried in Ft. Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Prince George's County, Maryland.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and child and is buried in Ft.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MD-B0B0351A- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Private Clements gave the Seat Pleasant Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Seat Pleasant community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
William Ray Clements served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Private William Ray Clements 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 MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 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. William Ray Clements's cause is highlighted.
How William Ray Clements Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Ray Clements is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Ray Clements was killed by handgun; .38 caliber.