November marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Donald Ray Tucker, the only Clinton police officer ever killed in the line of duty, and the city and his department are honoring his memory throughout this month.

A proclamation in memory of Tucker was adopted by the Clinton City Council this week and on Nov. 14, the anniversary of his death, the Clinton Police Department will be holding a memorial service.

“This is our only officer that the city has lost in the line of duty,” City manager Shawn Purvis said. “We want to make sure we do this to honor his memory.”

“We want to remember and respect him,” Mayor Lew Starling.

On Nov. 14, 1991, Tucker, “on loan” to Carteret County from the Clinton Police Department, was killed when he was ambushed during an undercover narcotics investigation. He left behind a 6-month-old son Antonio, a loving family, friends and co-workers who still mourn him.

Born to Carolyn Williams and Billy Tucker, Donald Ray was a Midway High School graduate.

Just last month, Tucker’s mother Glenda Tucker — Billy Tucker remarried Glenda after Carolyn’s death — released balloons in his honor during a small ceremony in Clinton that she helped coordinate. The balloon release was part of a larger effort in which balloons were simultaneously sent to the heavens across the nation to honor the men and women who wear blue.

Tucker was a one-year veteran of the Clinton Police Department and just two weeks shy of his 23rd birthday when he was killed. Tucker was making his last purchase as part of an undercover drug operation with the Carteret multi-agency task force when he was robbed and murdered.

In 2011, upon the 20th anniversary of his son’s death, Billy Tucker told the Sampson Independent of the day he was confronted with the news his son was gone.

“My brother-in-law came to my work and told me that he wanted to drive me home,” Billy recalled. “He was all tore up and I kept asking him what was wrong on the way home. He told me he couldn’t tell me and kept driving. When I got in the yard, I saw all the law officers in the yard and I knew right then it was Donald.”

Both men responsible were apprehended and later convicted of his murder. Elton Guy Bell, who is still in prison, was the one who fired the fatal shots. Joey Lewis, who only hit Tucker, spent time in prison and was released in 1997.

“He always wanted to be in law enforcement even when he was a little boy,” Billy said in 2011. “When they played cops and robbers, he always was the cop. He was always the good guy.”

The good guy will be remembered on Monday, Nov. 14, at Grove Park Church, located at 609 Northeast Blvd., Clinton. The memorial service will be held from 4-7 p.m.

“Although he is no longer with the Clinton Police Department in body, his memory lives on. We want to proclaim Nov. 14, 2016, in memory of our fallen officer,” the City Council’s proclamation read. “The City of Clinton and the Clinton Police Department, after 25 years, still remember and miss this very fine officer.”

Clinton Police Officer Donald Ray Tucker is being honored by the City of Clinton and the Clinton Police Department this month, the 25th anniversary of his death in the line of duty.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Donald-Tucker.jpgClinton Police Officer Donald Ray Tucker is being honored by the City of Clinton and the Clinton Police Department this month, the 25th anniversary of his death in the line of duty.

By Chris Berendt

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