In the winter of 1980, William Perry, a 32-year-old male Port Authority police officer, was working in plainclothes. On December 22nd, while riding a PATH train in Jersey City, New Jersey, he noticed a man smoking and playing loud music, disturbing the other passengers. Officer Perry approached the man and requested that he extinguish his cigarette.
The man refused to comply.
At the next stop, the Journal Square station, Perry attempted to remove the uncooperative passenger from the train. A struggle broke out between the two men. During the altercation, the suspect, identified as Fernando Odom, pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Perry. After the shooting, Odom fled the scene, escaping from the train station and stealing a car to make his getaway.
A manhunt for the suspect was immediately launched. Ten days after the shooting, law enforcement officials located and apprehended Fernando Odom in Atlanta, Georgia. It was later discovered that Odom was already wanted in Jersey City for his involvement in several other shootings. He was charged with the murder of Officer William Perry.
Following his trial, Fernando Odom was convicted of murder and sentenced to a term of 44 to 46 years in prison. However, he was released on parole in June of 2003, after serving 22 years of his sentence. Officer Perry, who had been with the Port Authority Police Department for four years, was survived by his wife and two young children. His death was a profound loss to his family and the law enforcement community.
