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ROBERT ROSENBLOOM

April 23, 1943 --- November 8, 1971

Bob and I were driving in the middle of the night on our way to Oregon in February of 1967.  We were in Northern California on a highway in the mountains, and there was beautiful deep snow all over.  There weren't any other cars on the road, it was just Bob and I, and the sky was dark and clear and sparkling with all the stars and the moon was bright.  We had the radio on and this song came on.  My eyes were closed and I was listening to the music, and he reached over and took my hand in his.  I opened my eyes and looked at him, and he was smiling at me. 

POLICEMAN'S PRAYER

When I start my tour of duty God, where ever crime may be,
As I walk the darkened streets alone, let me be close to thee.

Please give me understanding with both the young and old.
Let me listen with attention until their story's told.
Let me never make a judgment in a rash or callous way,
but let me hold my patience and let each man have his say.

Lord if some dark and dreary night I must give my life,
Lord, with your everlasting love, protect my children and my wife.

Amen

On November 8, 1971, late at night, I woke up to the sounds of loud knocking at my front door.  I looked over at Bob's side of the bed and he wasn't there, and I was immediately alarmed.  I remember getting out of bed and walking down the hallway and as I came around the corner to the entry way, I saw Becky Trippeer standing at the window, and I froze.  Then what sounded like a million miles away, I heard her yelling at me to open the door.  It was like I already knew why she and her Bob (my Bob's partner) were there.  In the slowest of slow motion I got to the door and opened it.  It seemed like they rushed in and were holding on to me, and I had never felt such fear.  I remember asking what was wrong.  All I heard was Bob Trippeer saying... "Bob has been killed."

Bob was killed on Interstate 40, West of Albuquerque, New Mexico, by three black men, members of the militant group called The Republic of New Africa.  They are Michael Finney, Charles Hill, and Ralph Goodwin.  They murdered Bob in cold blood and fled the scene, leaving him to die.  I was told Bob died instantly and did not suffer and I choose to believe this, because I could not bear it if I thought he had suffered at all.  As they fled, they passed a motorist, Dennis Arnold of Greeley, Colorado, who immediately drove to Bob's police car and used his radio to call for help.  I have never talked to Dennis Arnold, but I am forever grateful to him that Bob was not left out there alone.

The three murderers hid out in Albuquerque for 18 days and then hijacked an airplane and fled to Cuba.  I read in a newspaper article that Michael Finney bragged on the airplane that he had killed "the pig."

I can call them murderers and don't have to say "the suspected killers" because I do not have to be politically correct.  It does not have to be proven to me in a court of law that they are murderers.  I know they are and they know they are.

  Michael Finney and Charles Hill are still hiding like cowards in Cuba.  Ralph Goodwin supposedly drowned while swimming in the ocean off of Cuba.

In the last few years, political attention has been given to Bob's case to bring his murderers to justice and have them extradited from Cuba.  Governor Gary Johnson of New Mexico has written two letters to President Clinton imploring him to pursue extradition due to the new policies toward Cuba.  At one point, then Congressman Bill Richardson traveled to Cuba to negotiate with Castro for the extradition of the fugitives.  Congressman Richardson called me the evening before he left for Cuba and his hopes were high that he would return with the fugitives, but that was not to be.  Senator Pete Domenici has also written a letter to President Clinton. 

In July of 1998, a crew from CBS Eye on America came to my home and interviewed the kids and I.  The CBS Producer, Tom Flynn was very good with us and did his best to have us prepared for the interview.  NOTHING... absolutely nothing could have prepared the kids and I for seeing a video of Michael Finney, free in Cuba, riding his bike.  Up until that moment, we had seen only one picture of him on a wanted poster.  When I saw him on that video, my heart fell and all the pain and intense grief came rushing back.  It was very hard to do that interview. 

In all honesty, I struggle with what I want to happen to Michael Finney and Charles Hill.  When I am asked about it, I feel panic inside and I want to run from the pain it brings, but then, for nothing to be done for Bob's death... that is so painful too.

August 2006 update about my feelings:  Throughout these many 35 years since Bob was killed, I have grown older and hopefully wiser.  The hurt is still there, it always will be.  I do not desire Michael Finney or Charles Hill to ever be brought back to the United States.  I honestly hope they never make it back here.  They have ruled so much of my life and the lives of my children already; I just can't see giving them any more through a trial and all the media frenzy that would accompany it.  I just don't want to deal with them anymore!  It is my true and strong belief that they will be dealt with justly by God when they die.  I can't ask for more than that.

November 10, 1999... I have just finished watching "The Untouchables" story that KOAT TV News in Albuquerque aired tonight.  Larry Barker and his crew were able to go to Cuba and get an interview with Charles Hill.  Michael Finney refused to be interviewed.  I think Larry and KOAT TV did an excellent job with this story.  I am amazed that they were even able to get into Cuba to do this story.

As far as what Charles Hill had to say... that Bob had to be killed because he had a "John Wayne" attitude... that they killed Bob in self defense... that they had to kill him because he was a White Cop and the enemy... 

Charles Hill and Michael Finney, you are both cowardly cold blooded cop killing murderers and you are the scum of the earth!

The death of my husband has been the single most devastating event in my life. Bob was 28 when he was killed, I was 25, we had been married just five short years, and we had two babies, our daughter, Tamara Lea Rosenbloom, who had just turned three years old eight days before her daddy was killed, and our son, Robert Wade Rosenbloom, who had just turned two years old three days before his daddy was killed.

........ May 1966 Just Engaged   July 25, 1966 Just Married

	.....		.....
Robbie, Bob, me and Tammy		Tammy		Robbie

THE ROSE STILL BLOOMS

A rose once grew where all could see sheltered beside a garden wall,
and as the days passed swiftly by, it spread it's branches straight and tall.
One day a beam of light shone through a crevice that had opened wide.
The rose bent gently towards it's warmth, then passed beyond to the other side.
Now you who deeply feel it's loss be comforted… the rose blooms there.
It's beauty even greater now, nurtured by God's own loving care.
Author Unknown.

On September 13, 2001, the New Mexico State Police Association dedicated the District 5 New Mexico State Police Office Building in Albuquerque to Bob.

A Solitary Journey

Grief is a solitary journey. No one but you knows how great the hurt is. No one but you can know the gaping hole left in your life when someone you know has died. And no one but you can mourn the silence that was once filled with laughter and song. It is the nature of love and of death to touch every person in a totally unique way. Comfort comes from knowing that people have made the same journey. And solace comes from understanding how others have learned to sing again.

-Helen Steiner Rice

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL WEB SITE

The above website was sent to me by an Army buddy of Bob's, his roommate when he was in the Military Police in Panama. Bob standing behind Chuck... Thank You Chuck!

A Part of America Died

Somebody killed a policeman today,
And a part of America died.
A piece of our country he swore to protect
Will be buried with him at his side.

The suspect who shot him will stand in court
With counsel demanding his rights
While a young widowed mother must work for her kids
And spend alone many long nights.

The beat that he walked was a battlefield too,
Just as if he had gone off to war.
Though the flag of our country won't fly at half mast,
To his name they'll add a gold star.

Yes, someone killed a policeman today
It happened in your town or mine.
While we slept in comfort behind our locked doors,
A cop put his life on the line.

Now his ghost walks a beat on a cold dark street,
And he stands at each new rookie's side.
He answered the call and gave us his all,
And a part of America died.

Author Unknown

The In Memory of  Fallen Law Enforcement Officers medal design above represents the following:  The BLACK ribbon represents the deaths of the Officers.  The BLUE line represents the worldwide Law Enforcement Community, often referred to as often referred to as "The Thin Blue Line."  The single GOLD star is displayed upside to represent the grief and loneliness felt by all members of the Law Enforcement field when an officer is slain.  It breaks the line, which represents the momentary break in the thin blue line as we all pause to mourn our dead. The Fallen Police Officer's Family ribbon and the colors represent the following:  BLACK represents the death of the officer.  PURPLE represents the heart of the fallen officer.  RAINBOW colors represent the valor of the fallen officer and the extreme sacrifice made on behalf of the citizens served.

Music playing is Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye by the Casino's

Kiss me each morning for a million years, hold me each evening at your side… Tell me you love me for a million years, then if it don't work out… then if it don't work out… then you can tell me goodbye.

Sweeten my coffee with a morning kiss, soften my dreams with your sighs… tell me you love me for a million years, then if it don't work out… then if it don't work out… then you can tell me goodbye.

If you must go, oh no I won't grieve, if you wait a life time before you leave… but if you must go, mmmmm... I won't tell you no… just so that we can say we tried… tell me you love me for a million years, then if it don't work out… then if it don't work out… then you can tell me goodbye.

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This page was last updated:  08/09/2006 09:43 PM

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