Family Of Tampa Police Officer Warren Krikava Receives Personal Effects Held For 57 Years

TAMPA, FL — In what proved to be an emotional moment for both the Krikava family and members of the Tampa Police Department, the belongings of fallen Tampa police Officer William Krikava were returned to his family 57 years after his death.

On New Year's Day in 1965, Krikava was killed while responding to a burglary.

After being granted a change of venue, one of his accused killers was tried in Jacksonville and sentenced to prison for second-degree murder. The other was tried in Orlando.

The items entered into evidence by the State Attorney's Office for the trial in Jacksonville included Krikava's service belt, uniform hat, department-issued firearm and a collection of articles and tributes to the fallen officer.

Under Florida law, trial evidence must remain in the possession of the clerk of courts in the county in which the trial took place until the case file meets the legal retention requirements to be released.

Usually, the release of court evidence is done routinely. However, Beth Fleet, the Duval County Clerk of Court's senior manager for evidence and records management, refused to allow this moment to pass by without acknowledging Krikava's heroic actions on that day.

Working closely with investigator Tom Brady of the State Attorney's Office, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida in Duval County, Fleet obtained a formal order from Circuit Court Judge Adrian Soud authorizing the release of Krikava's personal effects to the Tampa Police Department, and Tampa police Detectives Mark Belmonte and Jim Smith traveled to Jacksonville to bring Krikava's possessions home.

Krikava's daughter, Tammy Krikava, said she was surprised when she received a call from the Tampa police telling her they had her father's personal effects and wanted to return them to the family.

"We had basically given up and, after my mom passed away, I didn't really think about them anymore," Tammy Krikava said. "I know my mom tried to get them before, and I saw letters of denial because of the evidence situation, so it's nice to think that everyone from Jacksonville and the state attorney thought to give them back, knew that it was important. And then the police officers who went up there to pick them up, it says a lot about the Tampa Police Department."

Tammy Krikava was only 7 years old when her father died, but she said she remembers seeing him wearing the hat and gun belt that have been kept in evidence for 57 years.

"He was like larger than life on his motorcycle," she said. "The neighborhood, the schools, everyone adored him. He did a lot of extra-duty work with the churches, so everyone seemed to know him. It was awesome to see these things that I remember as a child."

She said those are the memories of her father that she's tried to pass on to her family.

"You hear about police officers who died and how they died," Tammy Krikava said. "But it's nice to hear about how they lived, too. That's what I pass on to my family members who never met him — how he lived."

Up until now, hazy memories are all Derek Carroll had of his grandfather. Seeing and being able to touch his hat and badge has given him a greater understanding of the man and the heroism he displayed on the day he died.

"It's a long time coming," Carroll said. "We wanted these belongings for a long time, so it's really awesome to be able to see them and honor his legacy. It was a loss that was felt over generations. It happened in the '60s, and obviously, I wasn't alive yet. But it's awesome knowing I had a grandfather who was a hero and died protecting this city."

In addition to handing over Krikava's belongings, O'Connor had some other surprises in store for the officer's family.

She posthumously bestowed the Purple Shield upon Krikava, an award presented to an officer who suffers a life-changing injury or death while in the line of duty and whose injuries or death are the direct result of a weapon used against the officer while he was serving as a police officer.

She also presented Tammy Krikava with the Tampa Police Department Gold Cross, awarded to the family of an officer who was killed or died under honorable conditions while in the line of duty.

"We can't thank your dad enough," O'Connor told Tammy Krikava. "The people of Tampa were so lucky to have him protecting them."

Krikava said she only wishes her mother had lived to see this moment.

"So, it's going to be kind of sad and bittersweet to get these things back, but it's going to be great to know it's full circle now," she said.