On a cold December day in 1978, the life of Timothy L. Willard, a 22-year-old White/Caucasian male, was tragically cut short in Paris, Maine. A rookie officer with the Paris Police Department, Willard was known for his kind-hearted and gentle disposition. The events that led to his death began to unfold on December 29th when he responded to a call concerning a man named Norman Day.
Willard had previous, seemingly minor encounters with Day, which were typically resolved by letting Day
sober up in a holding cell. On this particular afternoon, however, the situation escalated dramatically. Willard conducted a traffic stop on Day, who was driving with a suspended license. The stop occurred in the parking lot of a local manufacturing plant where Day's wife was employed. It was later revealed that Day was on his way to the business with the intention of killing his wife.
Before Willard could even get out of his patrol car, Day exited his own vehicle and opened fire on the unsuspecting officer. The sudden and violent attack left Willard with fatal injuries. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the owner of the business where the confrontation took place intervened and shot and killed Norman Day.
The news of Officer Willard's death sent shockwaves through the small town of Paris. His family and friends were left to grapple with the senseless loss of a young man who was just beginning his career in law enforcement and was remembered by those who knew him as a dedicated and fair officer. In the end, there was no arrest to be made for the death of Timothy L. Willard, as his assailant was killed at the scene.
