Walter A. Connell

Longview Police Department — Longview, TX

Cardiac

End of Watch May 27, 1971

Age 55

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

The Vigil Panel 108 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Sergeant Walter Connell suffered a fatal heart attack after being taken hostage by a suspect. He and another detective had gone to a person's house while investigating a series of armed robberies. The person supposedly had information about the suspect. When they knocked on the door, it was answered by the suspect, who was holding a handgun. The suspect took both officers hostage and bound their hands and feet with handcuffs and electrical tape. The suspect then fled the scene. Sergeant Connell was able to crawl to a phone and call dispatchers to report their situation. He then collapsed on the floor as he suffered a major heart attack brought on by the stress of the situation. Sergeant Connell had been with the department for 17 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-D9392F04
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.
Detective Sergeant Connell gave the Longview Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Longview community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Connell.

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

Agency

Department Longview Police Department

Location Longview, TX

Platform Identity lpd.gregg.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 27, 1971

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

Age 55

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Detective Sergeant Walter A. Connell is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TX, 88 of 2,421 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.6% of this state's fallen.

At Longview Police Department, 1 of 7 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 14.3% of this agency's fallen.

Longview Police Department

of 7 officers

14.3% Cardiac

TX — Statewide

of 2,421 officers

3.6% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac