Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 1 year, 1 month, 18 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: Bureau of Staff Services - Education and Training Division: Unit 044 - Recruit Training
District of Incident (Present Day): 003 - Grand Crossing
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Enemy
Age at Time of Death: 27
Timeline
Date of Birth: 08 Dec 1959
Date of Appointment: 11 Aug 1986
Date of Incident: 29 Sep 1987
End of Watch: 29 Sep 1987
Date of Interment: 02 Oct 1987
Interment Details
Cemetery: Washington Memorial Cemetery - Homewood, Illinois
Grave Location: Unknown
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # D-11
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 6
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 3, Line 43
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 20-W: 12
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: YES, Branch Unknown
Incident & Biographic Details
Probationary Patrolman Gregory Ray Edwards, Star #4562, aged 27 years, was a 1 year, 1 month, 18 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Bureau of Staff Services – Education and Training Division: Unit 044 – Recruit Training, detailed to the 3rd District – Grand Crossing.
On September 29, 1987, at 12:30 a.m., Officer Edwards, while off duty, was at the Roberts Motel located at 6625 South Dr. Martin Luther King Drive while on furlough. Marvin Wright, age 24, of 12516 South Wallace Street went to the motel with the intention of robbing the occupants because he was seeking money to complete a drug deal. While in his room on the first floor, Officer Edwards heard banging at the door. Officer Edwards then heard the door knob of the door begin to turn and went to open the door and confront the person on the other side. When he opened the door he encountered Wright and an altercation ensued. He identified himself as a police officer and was shot in the head and chest during the struggle with Wright. Officer Edwards was transported to the University of Chicago’s Bernard Mitchell Hospital where he was pronounced dead on September 29, 1987. Wright was apprehended by responding officers hiding inside a garage near the scene.
Marvin Wright was apprehended at a garage near the scene of the murder. He was arrested and charged with murder.
Officer Edwards was waked at A. R. Leak & Sons Funeral Home located at 7838 South Cottage Grove Avenue. He was laid to rest on October 2, 1987 in Washington Memorial Cemetery, 701 Ridge Road, Homewood, Illinois.
Probationary Patrolman Gregory R. Edwards, born December 8, 1959, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on August 11, 1986. He earned 1 Department Commendation and 22 Honorable Mentions during his career.
Officer Edwards served in the Armed Forces from 1979 thru 1980 and was Honorably Discharged. He was also a member of the Fraternal Order of Police. Officer Edwards was survived by his wife, Thais I.; two children and parents: Kathrine (nee Hoard) and Richard L.
On July 23, 2019, Officer Edwards’ star was retired by Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson and enshrined in the Superintendent’s Honored Star Case, located in the lobby at Chicago Police Headquarters, 3510 South Michigan Avenue.