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Remembering local police officers who died in line of duty over past 25 years

By: Brianna Lanham

Posted

and last updated

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Following the tragic deaths of two Virginia Beach police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty on Friday, WTKR News 3 is remembering local Virginia police officers who died serving our community over the past 25 years.

Virginia Beach Police Department

Officer Christopher Reese
End of watch: February 22, 2025
Age: 30
Cause of death: Firearm

VIRGINIA BEACH Police Officer Christopher Reese 2-22-25.jpg — Officer Christopher Reese, 30, was shot and killed by a man who had been pulled over for expired license plates on February 21, 2025.

Officer Cameron Girvin
End of watch: February 22, 2025
Age: 25
Cause of death: Firearm

VIRGINIA BEACH Police Officer Cameron Girvin 2-22-.jpg — Officer Cameron Girvin, 25, was shot and killed by a man who had been pulled over for expired license plates.

Master Police Officer David J. Nieves
End of watch: February 1, 2022
Age: 52
Cause of death: COVID-19

VIRGINIA BEACH Master Police Officer David J. Nieves 8-7-2008.jpg — Master Police Officer David Nieves, 52, died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Detective Michael Smith Phillips
End of watch: August 7, 2008
Age: 37
Cause of death: Firearm

VIRGINIA BEACH Detective Michael Smith Phillips 8-7-2008.png — Detective Michael Phillips was shot and killed while conducting an undercover buy-bust narcotics operations in the Green Run Shopping Center in Virginia Beach on August 7, 2008.

Officer Bradley Harper
End of watch: August 3, 2005
Age: 25
Cause of death: Killed while serving in Iraq

VIRGINIA BEACH Police Officer Bradley Harper 8-3-2005.png — Officer Bradley Harper, 25, was killed on August 3, 2005 while serving as a U.S. Marine Reservist in Iraq.

Officer Rodney Fredderick Pocceschi
End of watch: June 23, 2003
Age: 33
Cause of death: Firearm

VIRGINIA BEACH Police Officer Rodney Fredderick Pocceschi 6-23-2003.png — Officer Rodney F. Pocceschi, 33, was shot and killed on June 23, 2003 while conducting a traffic stop on Dam Neck Road between Harpers Road and London Bridge Road.

Virginia State Police Department

Trooper II Chad Phillip Dermyer
End of watch: March 31, 2016
Age: 37
Cause of death: Firearm

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 4.52.03 PM.png — Trooper II Chad Phillip Dermyer, 37, was shot and killed while speaking to a suspicious person inside the Greyhound bus terminal in Richmond.

Senior Trooper Robert A. Hill, Sr.
End of watch: November 24, 2006
Age: 42
Cause of death: Struck by vehicle

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 4.52.55 PM.png — Senior Trooper Robert A. Hill, Sr., 42, was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle while conducting a traffic stop on Route 58 in the Adams Grove area of Southampton County.

Portsmouth Police Department

Patrolman Richard Lee Spaulding
End of watch: November 23, 2005
Age: 49
Cause of death: Heart attack

Suffolk Police Department

Sergeant Jose Ramon Rivera
End of watch: May 31, 2021
Age: 59
Cause of death: COVID-19

Police Officer II William Andrew "Drew" Henley
End of watch: March 19, 2005
Age: 33
Cause of death: Heart attack

Norfolk Police Department

Detective Maurice "Mo" Joseph
End of watch: October 9, 2024
Age: 64
Cause of death: 9/11 related illness

Police Officer Brian Wayne Jones
End of watch: May 30, 2014
Age: 35
Cause of death: Firearm

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 4.53.58 PM.png — Police Officer Brian Wayne Jones, 35, was shot and killed from ambush in the 7400 block of Wellington Road while investigating an earlier shooting.

Police Officer Seneca Bailey Darden
End of watch: May 21, 2006
Age: 25
Cause of death: Firearm (inadvertent)

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 4.55.08 PM.png — Police Officer Seneca Bailey Darden, 25, was accidentally shot and killed by another officer after responding to the scene of a shooting on Nicholson Street on May 21, 2006.

Police Officer Stanley Cornell Reaves
End of watch: October 28, 2005
Age: 33
Cause of death: Firearm

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 4.31.28 PM.png — Police Officer Stanley Cornell Reaves, 33, was shot and killed after being flagged down by a citizen near the intersection of West 27th Street and DeBree Avenue on October 28, 2005.

Police Officer Sheila Herring
End of watch: January 16, 2003
Age: 39
Cause of death: Firearm

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 4.57.53 PM.png — Police Officer Sheila Herring, 39, was shot and killed after responding to a shooting call at a bar on East Brambleton Avenue on January 16, 2003.

Police Officer James B. Gilbert
End of watch: September 28, 2001
Age: 28
Cause of death: Firearm

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 4.58.37 PM.png — Police Officer James B. Gilbert, 28, was shot and killed when he and another officer responded to a report of a man who was threatening to take his own life on September 28, 2001.

Newport News Police Department

Police Officer Katherine Mary Thyne
End of watch: January 23, 2020
Age: 24
Cause of death: Struck by vehicle

NEWPORT NEWS Police Officer Katherine Mary Thyne 1-23-2020.jpg — Police Officer Katherine Mary Thyne, 24, died after being dragged by a vehicle while conducting an investigation on January 23, 2020.

Chesapeake Police Department

Police Officer Specialist Timothy Brian Schock
End of watch: December 20, 2011
Age: 41
Cause of death: Drowning

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 5.00.01 PM.png — Police Officer Specialist Timothy Brian Schock, 41, died during a training dive in the lake at Oak Grove Lake Park on December 20, 2011.

Detective Jarrod Brent Shivers
End of watch: January 17, 2008
Age: 34
Cause of death: Firearm

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 5.00.59 PM.png — Detective Jarrod Brent Shivers, 34, was shot and killed while attempting to serve a narcotics search warrant at a home on Redstart Avenue on January 17, 2008.

Police Officer Michael Kevin Saffran
End of watch: October 8, 2005
Age: 45
Cause of death: Firearm

Screenshot 2025-02-24 at 4.49.58 PM.png — Police Officer Michael Kevin Saffran, 45, was shot and killed after responding to a bank robbery call at a local bank on October 8, 2005.

News 3 attempted to call and/or email every local police department in our area for information and photos of its fallen officers, but did not hear back from four of the 36 police departments we contacted.

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