Trooper Ralph C. Tatoian

Badge #1140

Trooper Ralph C. Tatoian, 32, was killed in a traffic crash on I-44 in Franklin County, at 4:45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 20, 2005. Trooper Tatoian, a member of the Patrol's Special Emergency Response Team, and other members of SERT, were responding to the Franklin County area to assist with the manhunt for an armed burglary suspect who had shot a deputy in Gasconade County earlier.

Trooper Tatoian was appointed to the Patrol on July 1, 1995. He had served in the Troop C, St. Louis, his entire career. He was the twenty-fifth member of the Patrol to lose his life in the line of duty.

Trooper Tatoian was survived by his wife, a daughter, and two sons.

As part of the Patrol's 75th Anniversary Celebration, employees of the Patrol have written in-depth articles about each of the officers that have been killed in the line of duty. These stories go more into the officer's life, who they were and their families, then just the circumstances of their death.

Read a more detailed article about Trooper Ralph C. Tatoian