John C. Gutekunst
Agency patch
Police Officer

John C. Gutekunst

Newark Police Division — Newark, NJ
Felonious
End of Watch October 16, 1965
Age 23
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 100 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Gutekunst was shot and killed while questioning a man who had bumped the vehicle that Officer Gutekunst was driving. The suspect had also been involved in other fender benders immediately prior to striking Officer Gutekunst's car. As Officer Gutekunst attempted to question the man the suspect shot him once in the chest. The suspect fled but was arrested three hours later by his uncle, a Newark detective, in a nearby tavern. The 26-year-old suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 25 to 30 years in prison July 28, 1966. In 1978 he received an additional three years for escape. On November 23, 1983, a few weeks after being paroled, he was charged along with his brother and several other family members with federal narcotics violations. He was sent to prison for several years. Since the 1950s his crime family has flooded our nation with the painkiller oxycontin. Most of his family including him are in either in prison, have recently been released, or have died in prison. Officer Gutekunst had been with the agency for only 3 weeks.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Gutekunst served with the Newark Police Division.
Thank you for your service to the Newark community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Gutekunst.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Newark, Essex County, NJ
Platform Identity npd.essex.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 16, 1965
Tour of Duty
Age 23
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1965, 78 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 89th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 23. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. John had served 0.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Newark Police Division has 58 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years

Police Officer John C. Gutekunst

Newark Police Division · End of Watch October 16, 1965

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 36-W

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