There was not a dry eye in Paris-Yates Chapel Friday during the 10-year commemorative service for one of University Police Department’s fallen officers.
The service for Robert M. Langley brought nearly 100 friends, family and fellow officers together in remembrance. Langley was killed on Oct. 21, 2006 during a campus traffic stop.
He left behind a widow, Lisa Robertson, and two sons, who were present at the service.
The midday sun pushed through the blue and red stained glass window and painting the walls with purple shadows. UPD Lieutenant Kendall Brown sang the “National Anthem.”
Deputy Lynn Webb, of Lafayette County Sheriff Department, in tears speaks of her memories with officer Robert M. Langley. (Photo by Ariel Cobbert)
Deputy Lynn Webb, who was with Langley the night he died, said she knew something was wrong when the call came over the radio.
Langley was at a traffic stop for speeding when he reached inside the vehicle to turn it off. Daniel Cummings, who was an Ole Miss student at the time, drug Langley for 200 yards before Langley fell and hit his head, according to the Associated Press.
Langley had to be airlifted to Regional Medical Center in Memphis that night; he died hours later from injuries.
Cummings was sentenced to 20 years.
Webb worked on the UPD with Langley for four years. She now works for the Lafayette Sheriff’s Department.
“A lot of people are still hurting,” Webb said. “God put me on that night shift for a reason … he had told me many times that he never wanted to be alone,” Webb said choking back tears.
Webb said she will always remember the times spent with Langley on patrol and the traits that made him unique.
Langley, who grew up in foster care, always had a strong sense of family, according to Webb. He insisted all of the officers on shift eat meals together.
Lisa and Robbie Langley embrace during memorial at the Paris-Yates Chapel Friday evening. (Photo by Ariel Cobbert)
His foster parents always made him eat every piece of meat left on the bone. Now that he had enough money and was grown, he had said, he never had to eat like that again.
On the weekends, Langley would organize trips to Enid Lake for barbeques, and he would invite everyone’s extended family to join in.
Webb said when officers were not on duty, they were hunting and fishing with each other.
“Everyday, he had our back,” Webb said.
