Wildlife Officer Margaret E. Peggy Park, 26, was killed on December 13, 1984, while on duty in Pinellas County, Florida. Park had served three years with the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission and was patrolling a wooded area when she encountered two young men in a van who had a stolen handgun. After discovering the weapon and radioing the sheriff’s office, Park was attacked; one of the men struck her with her flashlight, and during a struggle her service weapon was taken and she was shot in the back of the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The two men, Martin Edward Grossman and Thayne Taylor, were arrested in connection with the killing. Grossman was later convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death; Taylor, then 17, was convicted of third-degree murder and received a seven-year sentence, serving under three years before entering a supervised community release program. Park’s death drew attention to the risks faced by wildlife officers and is remembered by colleagues and the community.

If anyone knew Officer Park, her patrol area, or has information about the encounter that led to her death, please share what is known.