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Funerals held for slain police officers

2 West Memphis, Ark., officers were killed in a shootout involving a former Springfield man and his son.

A hearse containing the remains of West Memphis Police Officer Bill Evans is escorted by motorcycle riders after Evans' funeral in West Memphis, Ark., Monday, May 24, 2010.

AP Photo A hearse containing the remains of West Memphis Police Officer Bill Evans is escorted by motorcycle riders after Evans' funeral in West Memphis, Ark., Monday, May 24, 2010.

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By By Valerie Lough, Staff Writer Updated 8:12 AM Tuesday, May 25, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Hundreds of mourners packed funeral services Monday, May 24, in Arkansas for two West Memphis police officers who were shot to death during a traffic stop last week.

Services were held Monday in West Memphis for Officer Brandon Paudert, 39, and Bill Evans, 38. Both were shot to death during a traffic stop on Interstate 40 on May 20.

Jerry R. Kane, 45, and his son, Joseph Kane, 16, formerly of Springfield, are suspected of shooting the officers. The Kanes were shot to death during a gunfight later that day that left two other officers wounded.

Arkansas state police are still investigating what happened in the shootouts.

Donna Lee Wray, of Clearwater Fla., told the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper the FBI told her that Joseph Kane started the shooting, firing at the officers while her husband was outside the van talking with them during a traffic stop.

Wray said she was Jerry Kane’s common-law wife of three months. She declined to comment Monday to the News-Sun.

It is believed Kane and his son were traveling back home to Clearwater, Fla., from a May 15 conference in Las Vegas.

Kane had complained of being stopped already once in their journey, spending 47 hours in a New Mexico jail after being charged with driving without a license and attempting to conceal his identity.

He referred to the stop as a “Nazi checkpoint” on his monthly Internet radio show.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0360 or vlough@coxohio.com.

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