Maryland police said Wednesday that detectives cracked the 51-year-old cold case murder of a fellow officer.
Larry David Smith, also known as Larry David Becker, was arrested last week for the slaying of Montgomery County Deputy Sheriff James Tappen Hall in 1971.
“The murder of Special Deputy Sheriff Captain James Tappen Hall was the only and oldest unsolved homicide of law enforcement officer in Montgomery County,” Chief Marcus Jones said at a press conference. “This brings a tremendous sense of relief.”
Hall was working part-time security for the Manor Country Club in Oct. of 1971 when he stumbled on a possible residential burglary in progress.
The 53-year-old officer was discovered in the club’s parking lot lying face down with a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries three days later.
NEED TO START HANGING THESE COP KILLERS
This is good news for the family and Montgomery County citizens. I wish we had a cold case unit here I have mentioned this when we met with police back when the Happy Timers were allowed to be at the Civic Center. Thank You James at the Civic Center for stoping a lovely group that met there for years by the way. We have many cold cases here in Salisbury look them up you would be surprised how many there are in Salisbury and Wicomico County .I knew of three families personally who never got answers.