On a Saturday evening in Kelso, Washington, the life of 33-year-old Francis P. Konen came to a tragic end. On March 27, 1948, Patrolman Konen of the Kelso Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance call at a local hotel. After the initial situation appeared to have de-escalated, the other responding officers departed, leaving Konen behind to interview two women involved in the incident.
He had been with the department for three years at that point and was a husband and father to a young son.
While conducting the interviews in the hotel lobby, Officer Konen was confronted by the male suspect from the earlier disturbance. The man, who was heavily intoxicated, began to assault the patrolman. A struggle ensued, and in the chaos, the assailant managed to gain control of Konen's own service pistol. He then shot Officer Konen twice. Despite suffering mortal wounds, the dedicated officer was able to subdue his attacker and hold him until backup could arrive. Francis Konen later died from his injuries.
The man who shot Officer Konen was successfully taken into custody at the scene. Following his arrest, he was charged with second-degree murder for the death of the patrolman. The case went to trial, and the suspect was found guilty. A judge sentenced him to serve 99 years in prison for the crime. However, the convicted man did not serve the entirety of his sentence; he was granted parole after serving 12 years.
