Patrolman Donald Martin P338
Cincinatti Police Force
Age 29
Served: 5 years
April 30, 1956 to March 11, 1961
On March 11, 1961, Walter Walls, Jesse Walls, and Charles Jillson were in the Downtown Lincoln Mercury car lot, 715 Reading Road, for the purpose of stealing a battery from one of the cars. The Wallses entered the lot on foot while Jillson waited in the car. About 3:00 a.m., Patrolman Donald Martin, of 4300 Foley Road, pulled his patrol car onto the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) parking lot at 721 Reading Road.
Patrolman Martin exited his vehicle and walked onto the car lot and found Walter Walls tampering with a vehicle. A violent struggle ensued; so violent that Patrolman Martin's blouse was ripped at the lapel and several buttons were torn from his uniform.
Walter Walls, possibly with Jesse's assistance, gained control of Patrolman Martin's .38 caliber service revolver and shot Patrolman Martin in the chest. Patrolman Martin turned and ran with Walter Walls in pursuit, firing into Martin's back.
At 3:10 a.m., Jack Wenner, Hugh Moore, and Harold Stiver, all of Pitt, Ohio, were northbound at 721 Reading Road when they observed the chase and continued shooting.
They observed Patrolman Martin with his hands in the air, Walls fired again into his back and, after he fell to the ground, Walls fired a final shot into his head.
Jillson drove away and Walter Walls fired a shot at Jillson's Cadillac.
Walter Walls ran across Reading Road and up Dandridge Street where he discarded Martin's gun and his own shirt and jacket into a trash can in the rear of 542 Dandridge Street. Jesse Walls ran eastbound through the Nabisco lot toward the railroad tracks behind the Elsinore Warehouse.
Harold Stiver exited the witness vehicle and tried to assist Patrolman Martin. The others drove to a gas station to call the police. By the time the police arrived, the offenders were gone. Sergeant Max Abel was the first car on the scene. Detective Elam took photographs.
Patrolman Martin left a wife, Alethea, and children.
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This crime went unsolved until the Year 2005 when a tipster called the Homicide Unit with some information. That information turned out to be inaccurate, but it caused the case to be reopened.
Two Homicide Unit Detectives, Ballman and Schare, found Jesse Walls still alive. After further investigation, they found that Jillson was never heard from again, probably also killed by Walter Walls, and that Walter Walls had died the previous year. The case was closed, listing Walter Walls as the killer, with the agreement of the Hamilton County Prosecutor.
