In the winter of 1986, the city of Oklahoma City was shaken by the loss of one of its own. Master Patrolman Richard O. Riggs, a 32-year-old male officer with seven years of dedicated service to the Oklahoma City Police Department, was tragically killed in the line of duty on the evening of January 7th. The events of that fateful night unfolded on NE 36th Street, just west of Interstate 35, leaving a lasting scar on the community and the law enforcement fraternity.
Patrolman Riggs and his partner were on patrol when they spotted a van that matched the description of a vehicle used in an armed robbery just moments earlier. With a sense of duty and courage, Riggs approached the van. As he neared the vehicle, he was met with sudden and deadly violence. A suspect inside the van opened fire, striking Riggs in the chest and abdomen. Despite the immediate response from his partner and the swift arrival of medical assistance, his injuries proved to be fatal.
The investigation into the murder of Master Patrolman Richard O. Riggs led to the swift identification and arrest of a suspect, Ronald Keith Boyd. The evidence against Boyd was overwhelming, and he was subsequently charged with the first-degree murder of the fallen officer. The legal proceedings that followed culminated in a conviction, and Boyd was sentenced to death for his heinous crime. For years, the family of Richard O. Riggs, including his wife, stepson, parents, and siblings, waited for justice to be served.
Fourteen years after the tragic death of Patrolman Riggs, the final chapter of this painful saga was written. In April of 2000, Ronald Keith Boyd was executed for the murder of Master Patrolman Richard O. Riggs. The execution brought a sense of closure to a long and arduous journey for the Riggs family and the Oklahoma City Police Department, though the memory of a dedicated officer and beloved family man senselessly taken would forever remain.
