Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

May God bless and keep you. Rest in Peace brother.

Officer Retired
Huntsville Alabama Police Dept

February 19, 2009

May the Lord be with the family and friends of Officer Matthews today and always.. Thank you Officer Matthews for your service and sacrifice you are a HERO and will never be forgotten.. Rest in Peace Sir...

Joyce
Sister of Ofc. John P Harris EOW 8/19/1994 Henrico PD Virginia

February 19, 2009

Officer Matthews

You took an oath to protect and serve the citizens of Wilmington NC and this great country of ours.

In the performance of duty, you made the ultimate sacrifice. There is no greater example of honor.

May your loved ones, friends, co-workers find peace. May the citizens realize the sacrifice made by the law enforcement officers every second of every day.

Rest in peace Brother Matthews we have got it from here.....

Vince Iello
NYPD Retired

February 19, 2009

"For thoese who pledge to uphold it, freedom requires a sacrifice the protected will never know"

Rest in piece my Brother

Commander Jerry Eubanks
Kinston Police Dept.

February 19, 2009

May God be with your family and the members of the Wilmington PD during this time of sorrow. Know that you will be missed.

Lt. C.E.Evitt
Bald Head Island PD

February 19, 2009

We are filled with sorrow at learning of this tragedy.

Lieutenant James Bond
Albemarle County Police Department, Charlottesville VA

February 19, 2009

All the members of the Wake Forest Police Department grieve with Officer Matthews family and department. You are all in our prayers.

Captain Darren Abbacchi
Wake Forest Police Department

February 19, 2009

My God bless your family and friends during this very difficult time. Thank you for your dedication and ultimate sacrifice. You will not be forgotten!

Anonymous

February 19, 2009

Rest in peace Brother. May God comfort your family.

Anonymous

February 19, 2009

God speed brother. You will be missed by the community you served. God bless your family, friends, and fellow officers in this time of grief. We have the watch from here. LHS class of '94.

PFC K. W. Shook
Fairfax County P.D.(VA)

February 19, 2009

Rest in peace Officer Matthews, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you very much for your service!

Shelly
Citizen

February 19, 2009

You are finally at peace now; we all can be sure. Thank you for all you have done for the department, the city and your fellow officers. You took an oath and left us with the highest honor. All will remember you for the fantastic officer you were. May god bless you and your family.

Rest in Peace.

Aux Officer J.D. Conway
Wilmington Police Department

February 19, 2009

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, REST IN PEACE.

N.J. TROOPER
NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE

February 19, 2009

My heartfelt thanks goes out to Police Officer Richard Matthews, Wilmington NC. Police Department for his service. May God's presence be made known to the family and friends as they are comforted during this time. None are so fine as the MEN WHO SERVE IN THE THIN BLUE LINE. God be with everyone. Blessed are the faithful who are called by me."

Margaret Hood
Citizen Watch

February 19, 2009

I offer my condolences to his family and to the officers that he worked with. It is a tragic thing to lose one of our brothers no matter what the cause. Rest in Peace my brother you have served your duty on earth now protect us from the Heavens.

CO 4 Timothy L Medcalf
Texas Dept. Criminal Justice

February 19, 2009

I did not know Officer Richard Matthews, but he was still a brother, comrade, and I am terribly sorry for the loss. My condolences to the department, and espically to the family.
Sincerely,
David A. Hearne
Assistant Chief of Police
Stallings Police Deparment

Assistant Chief David A. Hearne
Stallings, NC Police Department

February 19, 2009

Officer Matthews we only just met Tuesday, but thank you for being so dedicated to the service you did for our store as well as our community. You were a true hero and genuine guy. Within the hour an a half you were there we shared some funny time and good laughs.When i heard about your tradgedy what i thought about was how we talked about needing a vacation, and how life was tough lately, and as hard as it is to believe that only just a few hours before the news we were crackin jokes and talking aobut life, you are now taking your wonderful vacation above in heaven, and little did i find out we went to the same church.It's a small world after all. So RIP Officer Matthews and i will be praying for your friends and family.

Anonymous

February 19, 2009

Thank you for you service Officer Matthews. My thoughts and prayers are with your family in the this time of need. God has a greater need for you in heaven, thats why you were taken brother, but you will never be forgotten.

Deputy
Harris County Sheriff Houston, Texas.

February 19, 2009

Thank you for your service. May God take care of you and look after your family in the rough times ahead. God Bless you and your family and friends.

PO James McPartland Jr
Mount Vernon PD NY

February 19, 2009

Rest in peace brother, your sacrifice will never be forgotten........

Detective Edward Carlile
Northfield PD (OH)

February 19, 2009

A good man with such a gentle heart. A quality officer and most importantly a great friend. Rich, I still can not believe your gone. I am glad I was there by your side when you opened youself to walk with God. God will take care of you now. You will never be forgotten my friend.

Officer Justin Ovaska
Wilmington PD/ friend and brother in blue

February 19, 2009

I will miss you. My prayes go out to the family. I will miss you.

John J Holohan Jr
Senoir Facilities Engineer Wilmington Police Department

February 19, 2009

My gratitude to Officer Matthews for his commitment to serve and protect; called to duty as a police officer in a wicked, hateful, and cruel world and gave unselfishly, the ultimate sacrifice. He is the best example of humanity that we all strive to be. May his family, friends and WPD family draw strength in knowing that his brothers and sisters in blue will continue the legacy and commitment that he so admirably strived for.

The professional bond that links police officers and their families everywhere makes one officer's trauma the property of all. To all who have ever heard about the "Thin Blue Line," let it be known that even though the line will be stronger & brighter, the line just got a bit thinner today. Please watch over all who continue to serve and the families that you took an oath to protect. Your worldly End of Watch may have ended on February 18, 2009 but you were called to a higher duty. You are surely a guardian angel on eternal watch 10-41 in the Kingdom of Heaven. You will never be forgotten.

Be with God brother and rest, your brothers and sisters in blue will hold the line from here.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

Meryn
Wife – Sgt. Chris Johnson, Rocky Mount Police Dept

February 19, 2009

The Florida Police Chiefs Association would like to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Officer Richard Matthews, and the Wilmington P.D. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of great sadness. Please take comfort in knowing that your extended law enforcement family grieves with you. Officer Matthews, we thank you for your service. You will not be forgotten.

Members and Staff
Florida Police Chiefs Association

February 19, 2009

RIP brother, you and your family are in our prayers. I had the opportunity to work beside Officer Rich Matthews and it was a pleasure. He was a hard and dedicated worker. He cared so much for other people he was serving and he dedicated his life to police work. Officer Rich Matthews you will never be forgotten.

Cpl.Kevin Nedley
Wilmington Police dep't North Carolina

February 19, 2009