Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief Ralph Painter was shot and killed after responding to a local car stereo shop on Rock Crest Street in which a man was attempting to take a car that did not belong to him.
When Chief Painter made contact with the man a struggle ensued. The subject was able to disarm and fatally shoot him. The man then exchanged shots with responding officers before being wounded and taken into custody.
The subject pleaded guilty to aggravated murder in March 2019 and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.
On April 13th, 2019, the subject's half-brother fatally shot Deputy Sheriff Justin DeRosier with the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office near Kalama, Washington.
Chief Painter had served with the Rainier Police Department for 25 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and seven children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OR-1F202D20- 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
25 years. You could have gone home.
Chief of Police Painter gave the Rainier Police Department 25 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Rainier community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Painter.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Ralph Arthur Painter 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 OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 4.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ralph Arthur Painter's cause is highlighted.
How Ralph Arthur Painter Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ralph Arthur Painter is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ralph Arthur Painter was killed by officer's handgun.