The son of Herman Julius Hoelzel and Ruby "Lucille" Presson, "Bobby" married (Living) Bertani on 25 Oct 1968 at the Old Cathedral Catholic Church in St. Louis (city), Missouri. They were the parents of 3 children.
Bobby was a 29-year-old police officer at the time of his death. Employed by the Normandy Police Department, located in a suburb of St. Louis, he was killed in the line of duty while responding to a jewelry store robbery on 06 Jan 1977.
At the time of his death, Bobby was 29 years, 8 months and 20 days old. He was buried on 08 Jan 1977 and was survived by his wife; 7-year-old son; 4-year-old daughter; father, Herman J. Hoelzel; 1 brother, Ronnie Hoelzel; and a large number of extended family members.
A park in Normandy was named in honor of Bobby Hoelzel at a ceremony held on 26 May 1980.
Children: 2 sons, 1 daughter.
Father of:
(Living) Hoelzel
James Dale Hoelzel
(Living) Hoelzel
Bobby's sibling:
Ronald Eugene "Ronnie" Hoelzel
----------
Excerpts from newspaper article entitled:
EX-CONVICT CHARGED IN KILLING
OF OFFICER DURING ROBBERY
A 34-year-old ex-convict has been charged with capital murder, assault with intent to kill and armed criminal action in the shooting death of Normandy Patrolman Robert D. Hoelzel Thursday, police reported.
Hoelzel was shot to death when he interrupted a holdup at E. A. Horstmeyer Jewelers, 7246 Natural Bridge Rd.
A suspect identified as Lawrence W. Byrne, who police said was convicted of armed robbery in Kansas City in 1963, is in serious condition at Normandy Osteopathic Hospital with gunshot wounds. Police said he was shot by an officer as he ran from the jewelry store.
Byrne, who police said refused to give his name, was identified by police fingerprint experts.
Byrne was charged in warrants issued by St. Louis County Magistrate Daniel O'Toole Thursday afternoon. Bond was set at $200,000.
The 29-year-old Hoelzel, a veteran of five years with the Normandy Police Department after spending three years with the St. Louis police and six months with the Hillsdale police, was the first officer to arrive at the store after a holdup alarm was sounded at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, according to Normandy Police Chief David W. Farquharson.
"I'm sure he simply got the call and wanted to get there as fast as he could," said Hoelzel's wife. "He was very dedicated to his job."
Mrs. Hoelzel said she had broken the news of his death to their 7-year-old son.
"He said he was going to grow up and be a policeman," Mrs. Hoelzel said of (their son). They also have a 4-year-old daughter.
As Hoelzel was walking from his car to the jewelry store, Normandy Patrolman Graham Burnley arrived at the scene.
According to Farquharson, Hoelzel told Burnley to cancel the call for the holdup alarm and then waved to Burnley as he walked into the store.
"He might have meant stay back or he might have meant everything is OK," Farquharson said.
Police gave this account of the incident:
Two men had entered the store, and one, who walked with the aid of a cane, suddenly slumped as though he were ill. When the store owner, Arthur S. Zbaren, walked out from behind the counter to help, the second man pulled a pistol.
Zbaren, his wife and a customer were taken to the basement and tied up by the two holdup men.
Farquharson said the two may have been hidden from sight on the basement stairs when Hoelzel walked into the store and surprised them.
The man with the cane ran from the store, threw a .38-caliber revolver under a parked car and was grabbed by Burnley, Farquharson said. Burnley then heard several shots from inside the store and saw a man with a pistol in his hand running from the store.
Burnley turned to fire at the armed suspect and, as he got off several shots at the fleeing man, the man with the cane escaped, Farquharson said.
The second holdup man also escaped from the scene, but minutes later police got a call from a woman in the 7200 block of St. Andrews Rd., Glen Echo Park. She said an injured man had forced his way into her home and asked her to call an ambulance.
Byrne was arrested at the home and taken to Normandy Osteopathic Hospital, police said. He had been shot in the chest.
Police records show that Byrne was born in Granger, Tex. He was sentenced to seven years in the federal penitentiary when he was convicted of armed robbery in Kansas City in 1963. He also has an arrest record, mainly from Kansas City, police said.
They said a Luger was recovered from the home where Byrne was arrested Thursday.
Hoelzel joined the St. Louis police cadet program in August, 1967, and after graduating from the Police Academy, was a St. Louis police officer until he resigned Jan. 30, 1970.
"He had shots fired at him (in the city), and he was unhappy with some of the restrictions placed on police," Mrs. Hoelzel said. "But he was more afraid he was going to have to hurt somebody, and he didn't feel that was a policeman's job."
An autopsy showed that Hoelzel was shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the head, authorities said.
Police were seeking the second suspect, described as white, 50 years old, 5 feet 6, wearing thick-soled shoes, a gray tweed coat, a moustache and short beard and possibly armed with a revolver.
A Robert Hoelzel Family Fund has been established by the Normandy Kiwanis. Contributions, which are not tax-deductible, can be sent to the Washington First Federal Savings and Loan Association, 7276 Natural Bridge Rd., Normandy, 63121.
(By Edward L. Cook and Angelo Constantin; St. Louis Globe-Democrat; 07 Jan 1977; page 1)
----------
Man sentenced for killing officer
A Kansas City man was sentenced Friday to two life terms in prison for the fatal shooting of a Normandy police officer during an attempted jewelry store holdup.
Lawrence W. Byrne, 37, was sentenced by St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Orville W. Richardson. Byrne was also sentenced to five years for armed robbery and 15 years for armed criminal action.
Patrolman Robert D. Hoelzel was shot to death when he responded to a holdup alarm at E. A. Horstmeyer Jewelers Jan. 6, police said.
(Jefferson City News and Tribune; 24 Jul 1977; p. 5)
Bobby was a 29-year-old police officer at the time of his death. Employed by the Normandy Police Department, located in a suburb of St. Louis, he was killed in the line of duty while responding to a jewelry store robbery on 06 Jan 1977.
At the time of his death, Bobby was 29 years, 8 months and 20 days old. He was buried on 08 Jan 1977 and was survived by his wife; 7-year-old son; 4-year-old daughter; father, Herman J. Hoelzel; 1 brother, Ronnie Hoelzel; and a large number of extended family members.
A park in Normandy was named in honor of Bobby Hoelzel at a ceremony held on 26 May 1980.
Children: 2 sons, 1 daughter.
Father of:
(Living) Hoelzel
James Dale Hoelzel
(Living) Hoelzel
Bobby's sibling:
Ronald Eugene "Ronnie" Hoelzel
----------
Excerpts from newspaper article entitled:
EX-CONVICT CHARGED IN KILLING
OF OFFICER DURING ROBBERY
A 34-year-old ex-convict has been charged with capital murder, assault with intent to kill and armed criminal action in the shooting death of Normandy Patrolman Robert D. Hoelzel Thursday, police reported.
Hoelzel was shot to death when he interrupted a holdup at E. A. Horstmeyer Jewelers, 7246 Natural Bridge Rd.
A suspect identified as Lawrence W. Byrne, who police said was convicted of armed robbery in Kansas City in 1963, is in serious condition at Normandy Osteopathic Hospital with gunshot wounds. Police said he was shot by an officer as he ran from the jewelry store.
Byrne, who police said refused to give his name, was identified by police fingerprint experts.
Byrne was charged in warrants issued by St. Louis County Magistrate Daniel O'Toole Thursday afternoon. Bond was set at $200,000.
The 29-year-old Hoelzel, a veteran of five years with the Normandy Police Department after spending three years with the St. Louis police and six months with the Hillsdale police, was the first officer to arrive at the store after a holdup alarm was sounded at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, according to Normandy Police Chief David W. Farquharson.
"I'm sure he simply got the call and wanted to get there as fast as he could," said Hoelzel's wife. "He was very dedicated to his job."
Mrs. Hoelzel said she had broken the news of his death to their 7-year-old son.
"He said he was going to grow up and be a policeman," Mrs. Hoelzel said of (their son). They also have a 4-year-old daughter.
As Hoelzel was walking from his car to the jewelry store, Normandy Patrolman Graham Burnley arrived at the scene.
According to Farquharson, Hoelzel told Burnley to cancel the call for the holdup alarm and then waved to Burnley as he walked into the store.
"He might have meant stay back or he might have meant everything is OK," Farquharson said.
Police gave this account of the incident:
Two men had entered the store, and one, who walked with the aid of a cane, suddenly slumped as though he were ill. When the store owner, Arthur S. Zbaren, walked out from behind the counter to help, the second man pulled a pistol.
Zbaren, his wife and a customer were taken to the basement and tied up by the two holdup men.
Farquharson said the two may have been hidden from sight on the basement stairs when Hoelzel walked into the store and surprised them.
The man with the cane ran from the store, threw a .38-caliber revolver under a parked car and was grabbed by Burnley, Farquharson said. Burnley then heard several shots from inside the store and saw a man with a pistol in his hand running from the store.
Burnley turned to fire at the armed suspect and, as he got off several shots at the fleeing man, the man with the cane escaped, Farquharson said.
The second holdup man also escaped from the scene, but minutes later police got a call from a woman in the 7200 block of St. Andrews Rd., Glen Echo Park. She said an injured man had forced his way into her home and asked her to call an ambulance.
Byrne was arrested at the home and taken to Normandy Osteopathic Hospital, police said. He had been shot in the chest.
Police records show that Byrne was born in Granger, Tex. He was sentenced to seven years in the federal penitentiary when he was convicted of armed robbery in Kansas City in 1963. He also has an arrest record, mainly from Kansas City, police said.
They said a Luger was recovered from the home where Byrne was arrested Thursday.
Hoelzel joined the St. Louis police cadet program in August, 1967, and after graduating from the Police Academy, was a St. Louis police officer until he resigned Jan. 30, 1970.
"He had shots fired at him (in the city), and he was unhappy with some of the restrictions placed on police," Mrs. Hoelzel said. "But he was more afraid he was going to have to hurt somebody, and he didn't feel that was a policeman's job."
An autopsy showed that Hoelzel was shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the head, authorities said.
Police were seeking the second suspect, described as white, 50 years old, 5 feet 6, wearing thick-soled shoes, a gray tweed coat, a moustache and short beard and possibly armed with a revolver.
A Robert Hoelzel Family Fund has been established by the Normandy Kiwanis. Contributions, which are not tax-deductible, can be sent to the Washington First Federal Savings and Loan Association, 7276 Natural Bridge Rd., Normandy, 63121.
(By Edward L. Cook and Angelo Constantin; St. Louis Globe-Democrat; 07 Jan 1977; page 1)
----------
Man sentenced for killing officer
A Kansas City man was sentenced Friday to two life terms in prison for the fatal shooting of a Normandy police officer during an attempted jewelry store holdup.
Lawrence W. Byrne, 37, was sentenced by St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Orville W. Richardson. Byrne was also sentenced to five years for armed robbery and 15 years for armed criminal action.
Patrolman Robert D. Hoelzel was shot to death when he responded to a holdup alarm at E. A. Horstmeyer Jewelers Jan. 6, police said.
(Jefferson City News and Tribune; 24 Jul 1977; p. 5)
The son of Herman Julius Hoelzel and Ruby "Lucille" Presson, "Bobby" married (Living) Bertani on 25 Oct 1968 at the Old Cathedral Catholic Church in St. Louis (city), Missouri. They were the parents of 3 children.
Bobby was a 29-year-old police officer at the time of his death. Employed by the Normandy Police Department, located in a suburb of St. Louis, he was killed in the line of duty while responding to a jewelry store robbery on 06 Jan 1977.
At the time of his death, Bobby was 29 years, 8 months and 20 days old. He was buried on 08 Jan 1977 and was survived by his wife; 7-year-old son; 4-year-old daughter; father, Herman J. Hoelzel; 1 brother, Ronnie Hoelzel; and a large number of extended family members.
A park in Normandy was named in honor of Bobby Hoelzel at a ceremony held on 26 May 1980.
Children: 2 sons, 1 daughter.
Father of:
(Living) Hoelzel
James Dale Hoelzel
(Living) Hoelzel
Bobby's sibling:
Ronald Eugene "Ronnie" Hoelzel
----------
Excerpts from newspaper article entitled:
EX-CONVICT CHARGED IN KILLING
OF OFFICER DURING ROBBERY
A 34-year-old ex-convict has been charged with capital murder, assault with intent to kill and armed criminal action in the shooting death of Normandy Patrolman Robert D. Hoelzel Thursday, police reported.
Hoelzel was shot to death when he interrupted a holdup at E. A. Horstmeyer Jewelers, 7246 Natural Bridge Rd.
A suspect identified as Lawrence W. Byrne, who police said was convicted of armed robbery in Kansas City in 1963, is in serious condition at Normandy Osteopathic Hospital with gunshot wounds. Police said he was shot by an officer as he ran from the jewelry store.
Byrne, who police said refused to give his name, was identified by police fingerprint experts.
Byrne was charged in warrants issued by St. Louis County Magistrate Daniel O'Toole Thursday afternoon. Bond was set at $200,000.
The 29-year-old Hoelzel, a veteran of five years with the Normandy Police Department after spending three years with the St. Louis police and six months with the Hillsdale police, was the first officer to arrive at the store after a holdup alarm was sounded at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, according to Normandy Police Chief David W. Farquharson.
"I'm sure he simply got the call and wanted to get there as fast as he could," said Hoelzel's wife. "He was very dedicated to his job."
Mrs. Hoelzel said she had broken the news of his death to their 7-year-old son.
"He said he was going to grow up and be a policeman," Mrs. Hoelzel said of (their son). They also have a 4-year-old daughter.
As Hoelzel was walking from his car to the jewelry store, Normandy Patrolman Graham Burnley arrived at the scene.
According to Farquharson, Hoelzel told Burnley to cancel the call for the holdup alarm and then waved to Burnley as he walked into the store.
"He might have meant stay back or he might have meant everything is OK," Farquharson said.
Police gave this account of the incident:
Two men had entered the store, and one, who walked with the aid of a cane, suddenly slumped as though he were ill. When the store owner, Arthur S. Zbaren, walked out from behind the counter to help, the second man pulled a pistol.
Zbaren, his wife and a customer were taken to the basement and tied up by the two holdup men.
Farquharson said the two may have been hidden from sight on the basement stairs when Hoelzel walked into the store and surprised them.
The man with the cane ran from the store, threw a .38-caliber revolver under a parked car and was grabbed by Burnley, Farquharson said. Burnley then heard several shots from inside the store and saw a man with a pistol in his hand running from the store.
Burnley turned to fire at the armed suspect and, as he got off several shots at the fleeing man, the man with the cane escaped, Farquharson said.
The second holdup man also escaped from the scene, but minutes later police got a call from a woman in the 7200 block of St. Andrews Rd., Glen Echo Park. She said an injured man had forced his way into her home and asked her to call an ambulance.
Byrne was arrested at the home and taken to Normandy Osteopathic Hospital, police said. He had been shot in the chest.
Police records show that Byrne was born in Granger, Tex. He was sentenced to seven years in the federal penitentiary when he was convicted of armed robbery in Kansas City in 1963. He also has an arrest record, mainly from Kansas City, police said.
They said a Luger was recovered from the home where Byrne was arrested Thursday.
Hoelzel joined the St. Louis police cadet program in August, 1967, and after graduating from the Police Academy, was a St. Louis police officer until he resigned Jan. 30, 1970.
"He had shots fired at him (in the city), and he was unhappy with some of the restrictions placed on police," Mrs. Hoelzel said. "But he was more afraid he was going to have to hurt somebody, and he didn't feel that was a policeman's job."
An autopsy showed that Hoelzel was shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the head, authorities said.
Police were seeking the second suspect, described as white, 50 years old, 5 feet 6, wearing thick-soled shoes, a gray tweed coat, a moustache and short beard and possibly armed with a revolver.
A Robert Hoelzel Family Fund has been established by the Normandy Kiwanis. Contributions, which are not tax-deductible, can be sent to the Washington First Federal Savings and Loan Association, 7276 Natural Bridge Rd., Normandy, 63121.
(By Edward L. Cook and Angelo Constantin; St. Louis Globe-Democrat; 07 Jan 1977; page 1)
----------
Man sentenced for killing officer
A Kansas City man was sentenced Friday to two life terms in prison for the fatal shooting of a Normandy police officer during an attempted jewelry store holdup.
Lawrence W. Byrne, 37, was sentenced by St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Orville W. Richardson. Byrne was also sentenced to five years for armed robbery and 15 years for armed criminal action.
Patrolman Robert D. Hoelzel was shot to death when he responded to a holdup alarm at E. A. Horstmeyer Jewelers Jan. 6, police said.
(Jefferson City News and Tribune; 24 Jul 1977; p. 5)
Bobby was a 29-year-old police officer at the time of his death. Employed by the Normandy Police Department, located in a suburb of St. Louis, he was killed in the line of duty while responding to a jewelry store robbery on 06 Jan 1977.
At the time of his death, Bobby was 29 years, 8 months and 20 days old. He was buried on 08 Jan 1977 and was survived by his wife; 7-year-old son; 4-year-old daughter; father, Herman J. Hoelzel; 1 brother, Ronnie Hoelzel; and a large number of extended family members.
A park in Normandy was named in honor of Bobby Hoelzel at a ceremony held on 26 May 1980.
Children: 2 sons, 1 daughter.
Father of:
(Living) Hoelzel
James Dale Hoelzel
(Living) Hoelzel
Bobby's sibling:
Ronald Eugene "Ronnie" Hoelzel
----------
Excerpts from newspaper article entitled:
EX-CONVICT CHARGED IN KILLING
OF OFFICER DURING ROBBERY
A 34-year-old ex-convict has been charged with capital murder, assault with intent to kill and armed criminal action in the shooting death of Normandy Patrolman Robert D. Hoelzel Thursday, police reported.
Hoelzel was shot to death when he interrupted a holdup at E. A. Horstmeyer Jewelers, 7246 Natural Bridge Rd.
A suspect identified as Lawrence W. Byrne, who police said was convicted of armed robbery in Kansas City in 1963, is in serious condition at Normandy Osteopathic Hospital with gunshot wounds. Police said he was shot by an officer as he ran from the jewelry store.
Byrne, who police said refused to give his name, was identified by police fingerprint experts.
Byrne was charged in warrants issued by St. Louis County Magistrate Daniel O'Toole Thursday afternoon. Bond was set at $200,000.
The 29-year-old Hoelzel, a veteran of five years with the Normandy Police Department after spending three years with the St. Louis police and six months with the Hillsdale police, was the first officer to arrive at the store after a holdup alarm was sounded at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, according to Normandy Police Chief David W. Farquharson.
"I'm sure he simply got the call and wanted to get there as fast as he could," said Hoelzel's wife. "He was very dedicated to his job."
Mrs. Hoelzel said she had broken the news of his death to their 7-year-old son.
"He said he was going to grow up and be a policeman," Mrs. Hoelzel said of (their son). They also have a 4-year-old daughter.
As Hoelzel was walking from his car to the jewelry store, Normandy Patrolman Graham Burnley arrived at the scene.
According to Farquharson, Hoelzel told Burnley to cancel the call for the holdup alarm and then waved to Burnley as he walked into the store.
"He might have meant stay back or he might have meant everything is OK," Farquharson said.
Police gave this account of the incident:
Two men had entered the store, and one, who walked with the aid of a cane, suddenly slumped as though he were ill. When the store owner, Arthur S. Zbaren, walked out from behind the counter to help, the second man pulled a pistol.
Zbaren, his wife and a customer were taken to the basement and tied up by the two holdup men.
Farquharson said the two may have been hidden from sight on the basement stairs when Hoelzel walked into the store and surprised them.
The man with the cane ran from the store, threw a .38-caliber revolver under a parked car and was grabbed by Burnley, Farquharson said. Burnley then heard several shots from inside the store and saw a man with a pistol in his hand running from the store.
Burnley turned to fire at the armed suspect and, as he got off several shots at the fleeing man, the man with the cane escaped, Farquharson said.
The second holdup man also escaped from the scene, but minutes later police got a call from a woman in the 7200 block of St. Andrews Rd., Glen Echo Park. She said an injured man had forced his way into her home and asked her to call an ambulance.
Byrne was arrested at the home and taken to Normandy Osteopathic Hospital, police said. He had been shot in the chest.
Police records show that Byrne was born in Granger, Tex. He was sentenced to seven years in the federal penitentiary when he was convicted of armed robbery in Kansas City in 1963. He also has an arrest record, mainly from Kansas City, police said.
They said a Luger was recovered from the home where Byrne was arrested Thursday.
Hoelzel joined the St. Louis police cadet program in August, 1967, and after graduating from the Police Academy, was a St. Louis police officer until he resigned Jan. 30, 1970.
"He had shots fired at him (in the city), and he was unhappy with some of the restrictions placed on police," Mrs. Hoelzel said. "But he was more afraid he was going to have to hurt somebody, and he didn't feel that was a policeman's job."
An autopsy showed that Hoelzel was shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the head, authorities said.
Police were seeking the second suspect, described as white, 50 years old, 5 feet 6, wearing thick-soled shoes, a gray tweed coat, a moustache and short beard and possibly armed with a revolver.
A Robert Hoelzel Family Fund has been established by the Normandy Kiwanis. Contributions, which are not tax-deductible, can be sent to the Washington First Federal Savings and Loan Association, 7276 Natural Bridge Rd., Normandy, 63121.
(By Edward L. Cook and Angelo Constantin; St. Louis Globe-Democrat; 07 Jan 1977; page 1)
----------
Man sentenced for killing officer
A Kansas City man was sentenced Friday to two life terms in prison for the fatal shooting of a Normandy police officer during an attempted jewelry store holdup.
Lawrence W. Byrne, 37, was sentenced by St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Orville W. Richardson. Byrne was also sentenced to five years for armed robbery and 15 years for armed criminal action.
Patrolman Robert D. Hoelzel was shot to death when he responded to a holdup alarm at E. A. Horstmeyer Jewelers Jan. 6, police said.
(Jefferson City News and Tribune; 24 Jul 1977; p. 5)
Inscription
Cemetery headstone:
POLICE OFFICER KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY
Memorial stone at Hoelzel Park:
ROBERT D. HOELZEL MEMORIAL PARK
THIS PARK IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF OFFICER ROBERT D. HOELZEL WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN THE LINE OF DUTY FOR THE RESIDENTS AND HIS FRIENDS IN NORMANDY.
THE TREE IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THIS PLAQUE WAS PLANTED BY BILLY HOELZEL SO THAT HIS FATHER'S MEMORY WOULD LIVE ON…
MEMORIAL DAY
MAY 26, 1980
Gravesite Details
Double click on photos to enlarge images.
Family Members
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