Allegheny County Police Remember Late Detective

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- You could hear the voice of the negotiator.

"Nobody wants to see anything bad happen to you. We're all concerned about you Larry."

Police pleaded for long hours Saturday evening to save the life of their brother officer.

Inside the house on Adeline Avenue, Larry Carpico was battling his own personal demons.

There was a single shot. There was nothing to be done.

"I think myself, and any of the other officers, you always start having doubts that you may have been able to do something, if you missed something," Allegheny County Police Superintendent Charles Moffatt said.

The 49-year-old Allegheny County detective had served on the force for two decades – 18 of those years on the homicide squad.

Moffatt said today that Carpico's supervisor, Lt. Andrew Schurman, and his partner, Pat Kinavey, were both on the phone with him for hours Saturday, trying to talk him out of his home peacefully.

"I think the biggest thing for the officers in the homicide squad and throughout the department to accept is Larry was gonna do this and that was his intention," Moffatt said.

"And you really just start to realize the level of tragedy that the police officers deal with, the homicide detectives deal with on a regular basis and my heart goes out to them," Joe DeIuliis said.

Larry Carpico is very close to the hearts of Joe and Grace DeIuliis. Larry saved their daughter's life.

Nearly four years ago he was off-duty, walking his dog, when Sarah DeIuliis, then 17, was being beaten with a hammer by a former boyfriend in a wooded section of Mt. Lebanon.

Hearing her screams, Carpico stopped the attack.

"There were many nights that we said prayers, 'God Bless Larry Carpico,' because we were so grateful he was right there at the right time and did the right thing," Grace DeIuliis said. "That is a good man. That is a good man."

Carpico's actions brought community recognition, but he was a very reluctant hero.

"Larry meant a great deal to Sarah," Grace said.

There are many who are grateful for the life of Larry Carpico and will miss him most as a husband and father, fellow officer and friend.

"He had the courage and the dedication it takes to do this job," Moffatt said.

Memorial services for Carpico will be held Wednesday evening.

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