New Monument Honors Two Fallen Bastrop Detectives
By: Janice Park
Updated: August 10, 2009
Today marks the two year anniversary of the deaths of Bastrop detectives John Smith and Chuck Wilson.
The two were killed in the line of duty.
It was a tense scene in 2007, when the two veteran police officers were responding to a routine call. Instead, they found themselves face to face with double murder suspect and white supremacist Dennis Clem. After an intense shoot out -- Clem's girlfriend Tanya Smith was the only survivor. She was later convicted of second degree murder for the deaths of the detectives.
Over 100 police, deputies and other law enforcement came out that day to help out their fallen fellow officers. Today -- two years later -- they gathered once again -- to honor the two detectives.
Chuck Wilson's mother Lynn, says she's been moved by the outpouring support from the community in the past two years. Four teens were awarded the Smith Wilson law enforcement scholarship.
Each will use the scholarship money to help pay for college as they pursue careers in criminal justice. To donate to this scholarship fund -- you can send your donations to the Bastrop Police Department.
It was a tense scene in 2007, when the two veteran police officers were responding to a routine call. Instead, they found themselves face to face with double murder suspect and white supremacist Dennis Clem. After an intense shoot out -- Clem's girlfriend Tanya Smith was the only survivor. She was later convicted of second degree murder for the deaths of the detectives.
Over 100 police, deputies and other law enforcement came out that day to help out their fallen fellow officers. Today -- two years later -- they gathered once again -- to honor the two detectives.
Chuck Wilson's mother Lynn, says she's been moved by the outpouring support from the community in the past two years. Four teens were awarded the Smith Wilson law enforcement scholarship.
Each will use the scholarship money to help pay for college as they pursue careers in criminal justice. To donate to this scholarship fund -- you can send your donations to the Bastrop Police Department.
