In the winter of 1986, Phoenix Police Officer Robert T. Fike, a 43-year-old male, was standing beside his patrol car at 1111 East Indian School Road when he was tragically shot and killed. A respected 10-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department and a former Officer of the Year, he is survived by his wife and two young sons.
The incident occurred on the evening of January 8, 1986. Two citizens discovered Officer Fike after the shooting and used his police radio to summon help.
The investigation that followed led police to a 21-year-old suspect named Matthew Milburn. Milburn had a criminal history and had committed an armed robbery earlier on the same day he encountered Officer Fike.
Seven weeks after Officer Fike's murder, Matthew Milburn was arrested and charged with the crime. During an encounter with Officer Fike, a struggle ensued, and Milburn managed to gain control of the officer's weapon, shooting him at point-blank range. Initially, Milburn denied his involvement but later confessed to the murder.
Matthew Milburn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison for the death of Officer Robert Fike. He has since been denied clemency on multiple occasions, with the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency unanimously denying his requests in both March 2019 and May 2021, ensuring he remains incarcerated for the crime.
