At the Mass State Police Museum in Whitinsville, where the Massachusetts State Police honors its long, storied history, for the first time, the son of a murdered New Jersey State trooper met Friday with the two Massachusetts State Troopers who helped his family get justice back in 1982
In December 1981, NJ State Trooper Philip Lamonaco was shot and killed during a traffic stop.
The manhunt to find his killer wound its way to a North Attleboro rest stop on Route 95 two months later.
That’s when Mass State Trooper Paul Landry encountered a parked car with two men and a dog inside.
As he investigated, he sensed something was wrong.
Trooper Michael Crosby answered a backup call. Soon, they found themselves under gunfire.
“The driver rolled out of the front seat, went to the back of the car and went boom, boo, boom,” Paul Landry said, remembering the gunfire.
“I made it to my cruiser, I was able to call in for help from Mass State Police,” Michael Crosby remembered
The driver got away, but the passenger was caught.
And soon they were linked to a domestic terrorist group responsible for Trooper Lamonaco’s murder.
“These were the handcuffs that he had that night, it has his badge number on it. I carry them with me.”
Michael Lamonaco was 4 years old when his dad was killed.
Today, he is a New Jersey State Trooper, like his father.
“How are you thinking of your dad right now?” I asked Lamonaco.
“I think he would be very proud to see today come together the way that it did,” Lamonaco said.
Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble was a New Jersey State Trooper for 27 years.
He says what happened back in 1981 and 1982 still matters today.
“It provides a compass. It provides a course that we can set for our today’s troopers and future troopers,” Colonel Noble said.
Michael Lamonaco was recently promoted to Captain by the NJ State Police
This event. where his father’s ultimate sacrifice was remembered, was the first time he’s worn his Captain’s bars in public.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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