Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Martin Chivas was shot and killed while investigating a suspicious person call at a gas station at the Rochester Road interchange with I-75. The suspicious people were two escaped prisoners who shot and killed Officer Chivas as soon as he stepped out of his patrol car. He was transported to the Beaumont Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Both suspects were captured a short time later. The suspects had escaped from the Marquette, Michigan, prison farm 72 hours earlier. Before killing Officer Chivas, they kidnapped and killed a Marquette waitress and killed a 17-year-old service station attendant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both suspects were convicted of Officer Chivas' murder and were sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole on November 1, 1974. As of October 25, 2022, the youngest was still in prison. Officer Chivas had served with the Troy Police Department for three years.
Survivors
He was survived by his parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-D40DB4CD- 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.
Officer Chivas gave the Troy Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Troy community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Chivas.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Martin Douglas Chivas 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 Troy Police Department, 1 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Martin Douglas Chivas's cause is highlighted.
How Martin Douglas Chivas Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Martin Douglas Chivas is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Martin Douglas Chivas was killed by shotgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Troy Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
