Patrolman Richard Lewis Cash was 25 when he was killed on the evening of Wednesday, January 3, 1996, while on duty with the Forest Park Police Department. He stopped a vehicle at Jonesboro Road and College Street to question two occupants. The passenger’s behavior led Cash to call for backup; a nearby lieutenant came to assist and the two officers tried to question the passenger outside the car.

The passenger then fired at the lieutenant, who returned fire and wounded the assailant. The wounded passenger got back into the vehicle and the driver fled; both Cash and the wounded lieutenant were taken to a local hospital, and Patrolman Cash died of his injuries. The two suspects later drove to that same hospital; the passenger was taken into surgery and died from his wounds.

Investigators linked the two suspects to a homicide six months earlier. With the shooter deceased, the driver was arrested, pleaded guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to three concurrent life terms for the murder of Patrolman Cash and two other murders.

Does anyone have further details about that earlier homicide or about the events leading up to the traffic stop?