Trooper First Class Thomas D. Hercules, a nineteen year veteran of the West Virginia State Police was killed in the line of duty along with Trooper Charles H. Johnson. The troopers were killed while escorting a prisoner, a Viet Nam war vet by the name of Larry Parker. A local small time criminal. Parker and his wife were in the back seat of the state police cruiser on the way to the jail in Cumberland, MD. When Parker convinced Trooper Hercules to stop by his residence in Paw Paw so he could pick up an item. The troopers knew Parker personally so they stopped at his home. Trooper Charles Johnson went inside with Parker to an upstairs bedroom. At some point Parker reached into a closet and brought out a high powered rife and shot Trp Johnson in the back. At this point Parker took Trp Johnson's .357 Magnum revolver and fired out of the window with the rifle, wounding Trp Hercules in the arm. Parker came out of the house and fired at Hercules who had taken cover behind the cruiser. Hercules returned fire but missed. At this point Parker circled around the house and flanked Hercules coming in from behind him and shot and killed Trp Hercules. Trooper JD. Smith from the Berkley Springs Detachment had heard Hercule's officer needs help call. He arrived to find both troopers dead and the suspect had fled. After a massive manhunt by WV & MD State Police. Parker was cornered in a cave and with officers only yards away, he shot himself to death. Thomas Hercules was a veteran of the Korean War serving with the US.Marines. He was a graduate of Wellsburg High School and is survived by his wife Shirley, and two sons Allen and David. God bless these brave officers.
Trooper First Class Thomas D. Hercules, a nineteen year veteran of the West Virginia State Police was killed in the line of duty along with Trooper Charles H. Johnson. The troopers were killed while escorting a prisoner, a Viet Nam war vet by the name of Larry Parker. A local small time criminal. Parker and his wife were in the back seat of the state police cruiser on the way to the jail in Cumberland, MD. When Parker convinced Trooper Hercules to stop by his residence in Paw Paw so he could pick up an item. The troopers knew Parker personally so they stopped at his home. Trooper Charles Johnson went inside with Parker to an upstairs bedroom. At some point Parker reached into a closet and brought out a high powered rife and shot Trp Johnson in the back. At this point Parker took Trp Johnson's .357 Magnum revolver and fired out of the window with the rifle, wounding Trp Hercules in the arm. Parker came out of the house and fired at Hercules who had taken cover behind the cruiser. Hercules returned fire but missed. At this point Parker circled around the house and flanked Hercules coming in from behind him and shot and killed Trp Hercules. Trooper JD. Smith from the Berkley Springs Detachment had heard Hercule's officer needs help call. He arrived to find both troopers dead and the suspect had fled. After a massive manhunt by WV & MD State Police. Parker was cornered in a cave and with officers only yards away, he shot himself to death. Thomas Hercules was a veteran of the Korean War serving with the US.Marines. He was a graduate of Wellsburg High School and is survived by his wife Shirley, and two sons Allen and David. God bless these brave officers.
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