In the quiet evening of June 9, 1981, a dedicated public servant, Deputy Chief William J. McGuirk, a 59-year-old Caucasian male, returned to his apartment building at 158 High Street in Orange, New Jersey, unaware of the violence that awaited him. With 26 years of service in the Essex County Sheriff's Office, McGuirk was a respected figure in his community.
That evening, however, his life was tragically cut short in the very place he called home.
As he entered the parking lot of his building, McGuirk was confronted by two individuals, a 20-year-old and a 17-year-old, who attempted to carjack him. Even though he was off duty, his instinct as a law enforcement officer took over, and he bravely attempted to arrest the two young men. In the ensuing struggle, the older suspect produced a. 38-caliber revolver and fired three shots, striking and fatally wounding the veteran officer.
The brazen attack did not go unpunished. Both suspects were swiftly apprehended by law enforcement and subsequently charged with murder for their roles in the death of Deputy Chief McGuirk. The 20-year-old, identified as the shooter, was convicted of murder and received a sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison for his crime. After serving a portion of his sentence, he was granted parole on September 12, 1998. The outcome for the younger suspect was not detailed in the available information.
