KEVIN D. RICE SR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP | Elmer & Patricia Rice
Contact: Elmer and Patricia Rice.
Elmer is Kevin’s Rice’s brother and established this scholarship in his memory.
KEVIN RICE
Detective Kevin Rice was shot and killed while investigating suspicious activity in his sister’s neighborhood while he was off duty.
He was returning from his new home, which was under construction, to his sister’s home at approximately 1:30 am when he observed two suspicious men. He turned his vehicle around and drove up to them to investigate what they were doing. One of the men immediately pulled out a .380 semi-automatic handgun and shot Detective Rice six times in the chest. He was found with his foot still on the brake pedal.
A 19-year-old gang member was apprehended the next day. He had just been released from custody four months earlier for a murder he committed when he was 12-years-old. He was later convicted of murder and sentenced to 60 years in prison.
LOVED ONES REMEMBER FALLEN ROCKFORD POLICE DETECTIVE
A dedicated father, friend and public servant. That’s how Kevin Rice, Sr.‘s friends, family and former co-workers are remembering him. The Rockford police detective was killed 15 years ago after pulling over two men while leaving his sister’s house. One of the men, William Buck, fired six shots into Rice’s head and chest. Rice’s former partner and current Rockford Park District Police Chief Theo Glover says the two were best friends. “We got together and talked about what our goals were on the first time we met,” says Glover. “From that time, we became friends. At the five year period we wanted to test to become detectives. At the ten year period we wanted to test to become supervisors.”
Detective Rice had served with the Rockford Police Department for 14 years and was assigned to the Gang Unit. He was survived by his wife and three children.
Rice’s memory lives on through his wife, three children and grandchildren. His son Stanley says his father is the reason he’s a police officer today. “First time seeing him in his uniform, that was a goal of mine.” Policing isn’t the only thing Stanley wants to share with his late father. “Just being there for her [his daughter] like my dad was for me,” says Stanley Rice. “Just being a good father.”
“This community meant the world to us and it shows in when we honor Kevin for what he did, not only within the department, but outside the department,” says Glover.
“I just want to thank the community,” says Stanley Rice. “It hasn’t gotten easier, but it’s do-able now.”
William Buck, Rice’s killer is serving a 60 year sentence. That’s the maximum he could receive. Rice’s memory continues to live on at Rock Valley College through a scholarship that’s awarded to students studying criminal justice.