On the night of February 27, 2006, New Hartford Police Officer Joseph Daniel Corr, a 30-year-old male, was killed in the line of duty. His death was the culmination of a chaotic and violent chain of events that began with a robbery at a local jewelry store on Commercial Drive. Officer Corr, along with his fellow officers, responded to the report of the robbery and arrived to find the suspects fleeing the scene.
A vehicle pursuit ensued, stretching for approximately three miles along Route 5.
The chase came to an abrupt end when the suspects' getaway car crashed into a gas pump at a Byrne Dairy, causing a fire. Two suspects immediately fled on foot. While other officers managed to apprehend one of the men, Toussaint Davis, Officer Corr pursued the second suspect, Walter Richardson Jr., into a wooded area behind the gas station. It was there that Richardson opened fire, fatally wounding Officer Corr. Richardson then carjacked a vehicle and escaped, sparking an intense manhunt.
The search for Officer Corr's killer led law enforcement to a house in Chester, Pennsylvania. A multi-agency team, including the U.S. Marshals Service and Pennsylvania State Police, surrounded the residence where Richardson was barricaded. When officers attempted to apprehend him, Richardson opened fire, leading to a shootout in which he was killed. A U.S. Deputy Marshal was wounded during the exchange of gunfire.
While the man who pulled the trigger was killed, the investigation into the broader criminal conspiracy continued. Toussaint Davis, the suspect captured at the scene of the crash, was charged and ultimately convicted of second-degree murder and numerous counts of robbery, receiving a sentence of 300 years in prison in January 2007. Further investigation led to the federal indictment of two other accomplices, Marion Pegese and Robert Ward, in July 2009. In July 2011, Pegese, Ward, and Davis were all convicted on federal charges of conspiracy, robbery, and murder. All three men were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for their roles in the events that led to the tragic death of Officer Corr.
