On this date (March 02) 1974 a wife lost a husband, his son lost a father, his father and mother lost a son, his brother lost a brother, our nation lost a United States Army Veteran with service in Vietnam and Dallas lost a police Officer.
Police Officer Leslie Granville Lane Jr, Badge Number 2831, age 25, died as a result of gunshot injuries sustained as he attempted to take a fleeing suspect into custody.
On March 01, 1974 at approximately 11:00 p.m. Dallas Police Investigator Bettie Robinson returned to her apartment after finishing her shift at the Central Patrol Division. As she parked her 1973 Pontiac Lemans on the parking lot located in 6200 block Highland Hills Drive, a suspect approached, pulled a pistol aiming at her head and forced her back into the vehicle at which time he began striking her in the head with the weapon.
Investigator Robinson began fighting back at which time the suspect threw her from the vehicle, entered the vehicle and fled with Investigator Robinson’s purse in the vehicle which contained her police identification and .38 caliber service revolver.
At approximately 2:30 a.m., March 02, 1974 the suspect kidnapped two women from the intersection of Myrtle Street and Birmingham Avenue. He drove from the scene towards East Dallas. Shortly afterwards one of the kidnap victims, Vera Wickware was able to jump from the vehicle running at which time the suspect fired one round at her, then continued with the other kidnap victim, Lorreta Austin still in the vehicle.
About fifteen minutes later, Police Officer Mike Thomas observed the suspect vehicle, driven by the suspect and still occupied by the kidnap victim Austin at Live Oak Street and North Washington Avenue.
Officer Thomas attempted to stop the vehicle at which time a high speed pursuit began, continuing east on Live Oak Street.
In the 4700 block of Live Oak Street the suspect lost control of the vehicle, skidded off the roadway into the yard of a home colliding with a small tree. At this point Officer Lane arrived.
The kidnap victim exited the vehicle and ran to Officer Thomas at this time the suspect exited the vehicle and ran with Officer Lane into pursuit.
A resident of the home witnessed Officer Lane tackle the suspect between his home and another, both Officer Lane and the suspect fell to the ground. The suspect was able to stand up, kicked Officer Lane and then fired two rounds, using the pistol stolen from Investigator Robinson, both striking Officer Lane.
Officer Thomas then ran to the sound of the gunshots and located Officer Lane. He requested an ambulance and Officer Lane was transported to nearby Baylor Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The suspect had fled.
Shortly after shooting Officer Lane, the suspect using Investigator Robinson’s badge stopped a vehicle driven by a female at the intersection of Bryan Street and North Haskell Avenue and forced her to take him to Oak Cliff where he exited the vehicle near Bonnieview Road and Simpson Stuart Road.
The kidnap victim that jumped from the suspect vehicle knew the suspect’s first name as Eddie. The second victim knew his last name to be King. With this information the suspect was identified by both kidnap victims and Investigator Robinson to be Edward Lincoln King, age 26. The Dallas County Sheriffs Office was able to provide an address of the suspect’s mother, 3515 Frosty Trail in Dallas.
The suspect was located at this address and taken into custody at 7:45 a.m.. He was charged with Capital Murder, three Counts of Kidnapping, Aggravated Robbery and Parole Violation. He had a lengthily prior criminal history.
At trial, suspect King was found guilty of all charges, received the death penalty for the Capital Murder Conviction. While awaiting execution at the Texas Death Row he was killed by another prisoner.
Police Officer Leslie Granville Lane Jr. is interred at the Oak Grove Memorial Park Cemetery, Bigelow, Arkansas.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2022 09:40PM by DallasCop2566.