Paul L. Hutchins

MI State Police — Lansing, MI

Felonious

End of Watch August 30, 1985

Age 30

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 130 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 56

Incident

Trooper Hutchins was shot and killed while off duty during an armed robbery. Trooper Hutchins and a companion were in Detroit when two men approached them and demanded Trooper Hutchins' wallet and his companion's purse. After giving up the items the suspects instructed them to walk to a more secluded area. As he complied, the suspects saw an additional wallet in Trooper Hutchins' pocket and demanded he hand it over. This wallet contained his identification and badge. As he gave it to them he suddenly pushed his companion away and drew his off-duty weapon as he ran a short distance away to draw the suspect's attention from his companion. As he turned back to the suspects he was struck in the head by a round fired by one of them. Four local gang members were apprehended and charged with Trooper Hutchins' murder in December of 1986. Three suspects were 17 years-old, one a female. All four were convicted of second degree murder and armed robbery and sentenced to 150 to 300 years in prison. Their terms were later reduced to 95 to 150 years. One of the suspects later received a life sentence for his involvement in two unrelated Detroit murders.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-55B0489D
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 Hutchins gave the Michigan State Police 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Michigan. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Hutchins.

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

Agency

Department MI State Police

Location Lansing, MI

Platform Identity msp.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 30, 1985

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Four sentenced to 300 years

Trooper Paul L. Hutchins 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 MI State Police, 27 of 57 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.4% of this agency's fallen.

MI State Police

of 57 officers

47.4% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious