Death Classification: Performance of Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: 4 years, 6 months, 15 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: 23rd District - Marquette

District of Incident (Present Day): 011 - Harrison

Cause of Death: Illness - Cardiac Arrest

Age at Time of Death: 33

Timeline


Date of Birth: 05 May 1926

Date of Appointment: 22 Aug 1955

Date of Incident: 011 - Harrison

End of Watch: 09 Mar 1960

Date of Interment: 12 Mar 1960

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: Mount Carmel Cemetery - Hillside, Illinois
 Grave Location: Grave 2, Lot W9' 11 / W9' 12, Block 13, Section 32
 Interment Disposition: Burial

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Not Enshrined

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 11

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: U.S. Army

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Detective Dennis John Laughlin, Sr., Star #3047, aged 33 years, was a 4 year, 6 month, 15 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 23rd District – Marquette.

On March 9, 1960, Detective Laughlin and his partners, Detectives Joseph Adlesick and John Lynch, had been working a plainclothes detail. They were at the end of a 12 hour investigation that targeted five armed robbery suspects. The suspects were believed responsible for 25 west side street holdups. The detectives received a tip that three of the suspects were in a pool room located at 3843 West Roosevelt Road. Upon arriving at the location they were able to arrest James Stuckey, age 18, William Slater, age 18 and Joseph F. Hampton, age 19. The three then implicated Everet Nelson, age 20, who was arrested in his home located at 2932 West Warren Boulevard. After repeated questioning by the three detectives, the four arrestees told them that the leader of the gang was John L. Ikerd, age 21. Detective Laughlin and his partners searched four other flats, where they were told Ikerd might be hiding, before they went to 1147 South Whipple Street. They took Nelson to the flat with them. Nelson knocked on the apartment door and Ikerd, who was undressed, opened it. When Ikerd saw the three detectives behind Nelson he quickly slammed the door and locked it. The detectives and another squad of three detectives surrounded the building.

Detective Laughlin broke the door in with his shoulder and lunged into the apartment. Ikerd reached for a .45 caliber automatic pistol on top of a dresser in the room as Laughlin tackled him. During the struggle, Laughlin began gasping for breath and collapsed. The two other policemen administered cardio pulmonary resuscitation and called for an inhalator squad. Detective Laughlin had suffered a heart attack and died.

Detective Laughlin was waked at Gibbons O’Keefe Funeral Home located at 4245 West Madison Street. His funeral mass was held at St. Mel’s Church located at 4301 West Washington Boulevard. He was laid to rest on March 12, 1960 in Mount Carmel Cemetery, 1400 South Wolf Road, Hillside, Illinois. His grave is located in Grave 2, Lot W9′ 11 / W9′ 12, Block 13, Section 32.

Detective Dennis John Laughlin, Sr., born May 5, 1926, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on August 22, 1955. On October 1, 1957, he was promoted to Temporary Detective. On August 8, 1958, he was restored to Patrolman.

Detective Laughlin served in the U.S. Army enlisting on October 29, 1945 and was Honorably Discharged at the rank of Private 1st Class. He was also a member of Chicago Police Post No. 207 American Legion. Detective Laughlin was survived by his wife, Marilyn (nee Miller), age 27; children: David, age 5, Dennis John, Jr., age 8, John, age 20 months and Kathleen, age 6; mother, Esther (nee Ireland) and stepbrothers: John O’Connor, Mathew O’Connor and Michael O’Connor. He was preceded in death by his father, Emmett (CPD).

On August 25, 1939, Detective Laughlin’s father, Patrolman Emmett D. Laughlin, was also killed in the line of duty while serving with the Chicago Police Department.