Patrolman John L. MacKechnie, Port Jervis PD, 3/18/1949

On March 18, 1949, Port Jervis Patrolman John L. MacKechnie was assigned to guard Harold Brundage, an emotionally disturbed 27-year old Navy veteran.

At about 1120 hours, Brundage grabbed a shovel and a shotgun that were stored in the holding room, beat Patrolman MacKechnie in the head, and then strangled him to death. After the murder, Brundage walked into the room where his parents were being interviewed by the Chief, and stated “I just killed the devil”. Responding officers found both the shovel and the broken shotgun covered in blood, and the officer dead at the scene.

At the time of his death, Patrolman MacKechnie was 38 years old. He and his wife Kathleen were married on March 17, 1939, and had celebrated their tenth anniversary the day before the officer was killed. They had a daughter, Kathleen, then 6 years old and a son, John L., then 17 months old.

Brundage was committed as a result of his crime.