In the late autumn of 1985, a veteran law enforcement officer's life was tragically cut short following a violent tavern robbery in Newark, New Jersey. Detective Robert E. Walls, a 54-year-old male, had dedicated 27 years of his life to the Essex County Sheriff's Department. On the evening of November 26, 1985, he was off-duty at the V & J Tavern on Seventh Street, accompanied by a colleague, Sergeant Nathaniel Taylor.
The relative peace of the establishment was shattered when three masked individuals entered and announced a robbery.
In a moment of bravery, Sergeant Taylor attempted to intervene but was fatally shot by one of the assailants. Detective Walls, also moving to act, drew his own weapon but was shot and severely wounded in the ensuing chaos. For 24 days, he fought for his life, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries on December 18, 1985. The brazen crime that claimed the lives of two dedicated officers sent shockwaves through the community and the law enforcement fraternity.
The investigation into the double homicide was swift. Within two days of the robbery and shooting, authorities had apprehended two suspects, one of whom was the driver of the getaway vehicle. A third suspect was taken into custody on June 17, 1986. Ultimately, four young men, aged 17, 18, 18, and 21, were charged in connection with the murders of Detective Walls and Sergeant Taylor.
All four suspects were subsequently convicted on two counts of murder. Each was handed a sentence of two consecutive 30-year terms for their roles in the violent deaths of the two off-duty officers. The resolution of the case brought a measure of justice for the families and colleagues of Detective Walls and Sergeant Taylor, though it could never replace the two men who lost their lives in the line of duty, even when they were not officially on the clock.
