In the autumn of 1988, a tragic series of events unfolded in Lexington, Kentucky, culminating in the death of a young law enforcement officer. Joseph Matthew Angelucci, a 24-year-old male Deputy Sheriff with the Fayette County Sheriff's Office, was shot in the line of duty on November 4, 1988. He was attempting to serve mental inquest papers to a man named William Bennett at a residence on Smith Street.
During the encounter, a struggle ensued, and Bennett managed to gain control of Deputy Angelucci's service weapon, shooting him with it.
For eighteen days, Deputy Angelucci fought for his life, while his family, including his father, retired Fayette Circuit Judge Armand Angelucci, held onto hope. Tragically, Joseph Matthew Angelucci succumbed to his injuries on November 23, 1988. He had served with the sheriff's office for three years.
The man responsible for the fatal shooting, William Bennett, who was 33 years old at the time of the incident, was apprehended. Bennett, who was described as a paranoid schizophrenic with a history of mental illness, stood trial for the murder of Deputy Angelucci. In 1989, a jury found him guilty of murder but also determined that he was mentally ill. Consequently, Bennett was sentenced to 120 years in prison. He was denied parole in December 2011 and died later that same month while still incarcerated.
