Detective Herbert Ray Sullivan, a 30-year-old white male, was tragically killed on August 18, 1980, in Saint Petersburg, Florida. On that fateful day, Sullivan was involved in an undercover narcotics operation aimed at purchasing a kilogram of cocaine and approximately 1,000 pills for $65,000. The operation took place in the parking lot of the Save Inn at 2260 54 Avenue North. Sullivan, who had been with the St.
Petersburg Police Department for six years, was waiting in his unmarked gray Chevy pick-up truck with a large sum of cash to complete the transaction. His partner, Detective Harry Herbst, had exited the vehicle to initiate the purchase inside the hotel.
While Sullivan was waiting in the truck, a second individual, later identified as Sammie Lee Mathis, approached and opened fire, hitting Sullivan multiple times in the chest. Despite immediate medical attention and being rushed to Hubert Rutland Hospital, Sullivan was pronounced dead at 3:16 p.m. The investigation revealed that Mathis had fled the scene and was later seen by a city worker running down an embankment to a vehicle on Interstate 275.
The following day, detectives arrested Sammie Lee Mathis, who confessed to the murder. Mathis was charged and convicted for his role in the killing. The investigation also uncovered that William Haake, the primary suspect in the drug deal, had fled the country. Haake was eventually located in Spain, where he was serving time for attempted drug smuggling and possession of a firearm. Due to international agreements, the United States was unable to seek the death penalty for either suspect.
Detective Sullivan's death marked a significant loss for the St. Petersburg Police Department, as he was the twelfth officer to be killed in the line of duty. Sullivan was survived by his parents, his wife June E., and his three siblings. He was remembered as a dedicated officer who truly believed in police work and had recently received a commendation for solving a narcotics problem near a citizen's home. His funeral service was held at the Lutheran Church of the Cross, followed by a large procession to his burial at Woodlawn Memory Gardens cemetery.
