PATROLMAN'S WIFE KILLED BY HIS PISTOL: Police, Puzzled, Question Him and a Woman Caller in the Home.
New York Times
Jun 13, 1927; pg. 21
Mrs. Hannah Truitt, 36 years old, wife of Patrolman Marshall Truitt of the Old Slip station was killed by a bullet from her husband's service pistol last night in the dining room of her home at 299 Thirteenth Street, Brooklyn. Early this morning the police of the Fifth Avenue station were unable to determine whether or not she was the victim of suicide and were still questioning her husband and a woman friend.
The patrolman's story was that when he returned from his tour of duty late in the afternoon he found Mrs. Helen Norris of 11,419 207th Street, Bellaire, Queens, talking with his wife. The three had dinner, he said, and, moving to the living room, had several drinks. During the drinking, according to his story, which was corroborated by Mrs. Norris, Mrs. Truitt got into an argument with him, and, jumping from her chair suddenly, ran into the dining room. A moment later the patrolman and Mrs. Norris said they heard a shot and found Mrs. Truitt lying on the floor, dead.
Several other patrolmen who live in the same house hurried into the apartment and notified Police Headquarters. Detectives arrived in a short time. They discovered that the mortal wound was behind the woman's right ear. Truitt said that when he changed his clothes on returning home, he had left his pisotl on a dining room table. It was found on the table near the body by the detectives.
Truitt and his wife had been married seventeen years. They had no children.
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities alleged suicide new york state politics unsolved unresolved nyc new york police department usur]
By the end of the day Officer Truitt had been charged with murder. The other woman in the house said to have been eating dinner with the Truitt's that night was Helen Norris. I was unable to find any follow up, though I tried hard.
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ReplyDeleteHOLD POLICEMAN AS SLAYER; Husband of Woman Found Dead Faces Charge of Homicide.
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New York Times - Jun 14, 1927
Patrolman Marshall Truitt, attached to the Old Slip Station, was charged with homicide yesterday in connection with the of his wife on Sunday night when he ... Truitt was arrested at his home, 29g Thirteenth Street, Brooklyn, after his wife, Hannah,, had been found dead there with a bullet wound behind her right ear. The patrolman and his wife s friend, Mrs. Helen Norris, insisted that Mrs. Truitt had committed suicide after leaving the dining room where the three were having dinner together...