RUSTON, La. (6/16/19)– It’s been a long ten months for the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, but justice has finally been served for one of their own.
K-9 officer Sergeant Boco lost his life in the line of duty last August. This week, the man accused of killing him was finally sentenced.
“It’s been, you know, an ongoing process through court and this past Tuesday Roberson plead guilty as charged,” said Public Information Officer Stephen Williams with the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Back in August, Vincent Roberson was on the run in Ruston after deputies say he shot his girlfriend in the head in Monroe.
He ran into a wooded area near Chandler Road. It was the last place deputies say Boco was seen alive.
“They observed Roberson to run out of the house and into a wooded area. The decision was made then to deploy a dog. Right at a minute after the dog was deployed, we heard anywhere between six to seven gunshots and it all was quiet,” said Williams.
Lincoln Parish deputies later found Boco’s lifeless body laying in the woods. Williams says the loss weighed heavily on the entire sheriff’s office.
“He was our dog, and he belonged to everyone here in the department,” said Williams.
Roberson was sentenced to ten years hard labor for Boco’s death, the maximum sentence he could recieve for killing a k-9 officer.
“It’s still a tough pill to swallow, but we’re satisfied with it,” said Williams.
Williams remembers Boco as a full-time hardworking officer and a part-time lovable lap dog.
“He was very easy going. Wanted to be the center of attention, I would always tell people he always thought he was a much smaller dog than he really was. Would crawl up in your lap and constantly beg for attention,” said Williams.
For four years, Boco proudly served his community, leaving behind the legacy of a courageous officer and best friend.
Boco was six years old when he was killed.
During his time with the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, Boco helped solve over 100 drug cases and helped find missing children and dementia patients.
