Trooper Paul Garmong Richey, 40, was killed while responding to a domestic disturbance in Cranberry Township, Venango County, on January 13, 2010. A Pennsylvania State Police trooper since 1993, Richey was shot in the neck by a .30-30 rifle round fired from a window as he and a colleague approached the house shortly after 11:45 am. The other trooper returned fire and additional troopers provided cover and removed Richey from the scene, but he was later pronounced dead at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Northwest Hospital in Seneca.

Investigators reported three firearms found in the bedroom: a .30-.30 Marlin rifle with a scope, a .22-caliber rifle with a scope, and a 12-gauge shotgun. The suspect, identified as Michael J. Smith, had also murdered his wife before the shooting. Richey is survived by his wife, Carrie, and their two children, Connor and Catherine. Over 2,000 law enforcement officers attended his memorial service.