Stephen Villaire

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI

Felonious

End of Watch September 23, 1923

Age 33

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

The Vigil Panel 45 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 249

Incident

Officer Villaire was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a robbery suspect. Officer Villaire was shot six times on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 2:30 p.m. as he grappled with a man who had threatened the lives of a number of people at a house located at 2457 St. Antoine Street. Responding to a call for help, Officer Villaire had entered the first floor of the home and was warned by a woman who lived there that there was an armed man was inside. As he opened the door leading to a back room, as many as nine shots were fired in rapid succession and the officer fell dead at the scene. His assailant fled. The 24-year-old suspect was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life on October 5, 1923. He was paroled on May 4, 1951. Officer Villaire had been with the police department for nine years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children; a son and a daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-23CE3BA4
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.
Police Officer Villaire gave the Detroit Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Villaire.

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

Agency

Department Detroit Police Department

Location Detroit, MI

Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 23, 1923

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Paroled in 1951

Police Officer Stephen Villaire 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.

Detroit Police Department

177

of 250 officers

70.8% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious