Sacramento Officer killed

**armsmaster270** · 04-25-08, 04:10 PM

Matthew Michael Prichard, 28, of Elk Grove, CA was called to rest on Sunday, April 20, 2008. Matt received a fatal gunshot wound while at his home in Elk Grove, CA. Matt was born on March 14, 1980 in Singapore. He was the beloved only son of Michael and Marianne Prichard. He spent his childhood in more than 30 countries. Matt graduated with honors from Simon Sanchez High School in Yigo, Guam in 1998. In high school, Matt was a stand-out athlete, lettering in golf, basketball, football, track and soccer. Matt served four years as a Calvary Scout in the United States Army. He enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow soldiers at Ft. Polk, LA and was honorably discharged in 2002. Matt graduated with honors from Sacramento State University with a degree in criminal justice in 2005. Matt's lifelong dream was to become a police officer. With great joy, Matt was hired as a police officer with the Sacramento Police Department in 2006. Matt was a devoted and compassionate officer who loved his work and his law enforcement family. Matt is survived by his wife Esther Prichard, stepson Alex and unborn daughter of Elk Grove, CA; mother, Marianne Prichard of Vietnam; sisters, Michelle Tulang of Jacksonville, FL and Melissa Masing of Citrus Heights, CA; grandmother, Lorraine Prichard of Auburn, CA; aunts, Sue Alvarez of Orangevale, CA, Judy Pinegar of Loomis, CA, Ann Prichard Reed of Sacramento, CA, Elizabeth Harmon of Long Beach, CA and Cynthia Lawrence of Carmichael, CA; uncles, Dan Reed of Sacramento, CA, Howard Lawrence of Carmichael CA and Charles Mitchell of Sacramento, CA; nephew, Michael Tulang of Jacksonville, FL; brother-in-law, Marshall Tulang of Jacksonville, FL; sister-in-law, Chelena Masing of Citrus Heights, CA; cousins; Elizabeth Lawrence of Tuscan, AZ, David Pinegar of Germany, Kevin Pinegar of Loomis, CA and Julie Pinegar of Chico, CA. He will also be greatly missed by numerous friends and colleagues. Matt was predeceased by his father, Michael Thomas Prichard, on October 6, 1998. A memorial will be held in Matthew's honor on Saturday, April 26, 2008, at 6 PM, Saint Mark's United Methodist Church located at 2391 St. Marks Way, Sacramento, CA 95864.

Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore.
It's gettin' dark, too dark for me to see
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
- Bob Dylan[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']Published in the Sacramento Bee on 4/25/2008.[/FONT]