When police officer Arthur Lopez was shot dead in cold blood during a car chase in Nassau County, Long Island, the entire community was terrified. Officer Lopez and his partner tracked the automobile into Queens before forcing it to stop in an attempt to apprehend a hit-and-run suspect.
Unfortunately, the driver opened fire as soon as the guys reached the vehicle, killing both the police officer and a civilian.
‘True Conviction: Panic on the Parkway,’ a documentary on Investigation Discovery, takes viewers through the homicide and demonstrates how the offender was finally brought to justice.
Let’s take a closer look to see if the man who murdered Arthur Lopez and the innocent car driver is still alive.
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What Caused Arthur Lopez’s Death?
Arthur Lopez, a devout and brilliant police officer, was the pride of his family. He had a stellar reputation in the community, and even his coworkers praised the diligent 29-year-old.
He had an eight-year track record as a law enforcement officer and was a member of the Emergency Services Unit at the time of his death. Arthur’s death was a huge loss for the department, and it is still lamented today.
On October 23, 2012, Arthur Lopez with his officer, Clarence Hudson, were on patrol at the Queens-Nassau County boundary when they saw a vehicle slam into a van and then flee.
The driver refused to stop despite the fact that he had been instructed to do so; as a result, the police officers were forced to pursue him. The suspect’s car had at least one flat tyre as it came to a halt in Queens at the intersection of 241st Street and Jamaica Avenue.
When the driver stepped out and fired fire, Arthur armed himself with his stun gun and began approaching the vehicle. The police officer was trapped in the middle of the gunfire and quickly passed out from a chest bullet wound.
The suspect then shot Raymond Facey, a citizen who had pulled over on the side of the Cross Island Parkway to receive his daughter’s phone call, before driving into Queens in Facey’s automobile. Medical examiners confirmed that officer Arthur Lopez died as a result of a gunshot wound to his chest after he was transferred to a nearby hospital.
Who was Responsible for Arthur Lopez’s Death?
Facey and Arthur’s murders were witnessed by several people, including Arthur’s companion, Clarence Hudson. As a result, officials were able to figure out who they were looking for quickly.
Darrell Fuller, a former felon who had done time for attempted murder and was on parole for an unrelated narcotics conviction at the time of the crime, was identified as the suspect.
Officers closed in on his location within hours and determined that Darrell had escaped to a neighbourhood daycare centre and had a buddy pick him up after shooting both men in cold blood.
Darrell then requested that his friend shoot him so that he could claim to be “a victim of the mayhem.” As a result, when the cops finally caught up with the inmate, he was discovered to have two gunshot wounds.
Darrell was apprehended by the police within hours of the murder, and it was discovered that he was also guilty for stealing Raymond Facey’s automobile after killing him.
Authorities were able to charge Darrell with two charges of first-degree murder as well as possessing guns while on parole because they had adequate evidence.
Is Darrell Fuller Alive or Dead?
Darrell Fuller pleaded not guilty during his trial, but the jury declined to follow his example. Instead, he was found guilty of seven counts, including the first & second-degree murder, and also robbery, and weapon possession.
Following his trial, Darrell was sentenced to life in jail without the possibility of parole.
Darrell was spending time at the Elmira Correctional Facility in 2019 when he became ill and required emergency medical treatment.
The treatment, however, was in vain, and Darrell passed away on December 9, 2019. However, the cause of his death has remained unknown to this day.
