Man serving life sentence for 1997 murder of Tacoma police officer dies in custody
Jun 11, 2026, 7:59 AM | Updated: 3:04 pm
Left: Headshot of Sap Kray. (Photo courtesy of the Washington Department of Corrections). Right: Black-and-white headshot of Tacoma police officer Bill Lowry. (Photo courtesy of Behind the Badge Foundation)
(Photo courtesy of Behind the Badge Foundation)
The man who was convicted of killing a Tacoma police officer nearly 30 years ago has died in prison, the Washington Department of Corrections confirmed.
The inmate, Sap Kray, 74, was serving a life sentence at the Monroe Correctional Complex when he died on June 5.
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The murder of police officer William Lowry in 1997
In the early morning hours of August 28, 1997, Kray confronted his estranged wife about accusations of infidelity at Emerald Downs in Auburn, prompting a response from police.
“Kray was infuriated and at one point displayed a weapon, telling officers he didn’t care if he lived or died and also told them he’d shoot them if they approached,” Behind the Badge Foundation wrote. “Kray wasn’t allowed to see his wife and was allowed to drive away.”
Kray then went to his estranged wife’s home. When she arrived home and saw his vehicle, she called the police again. Both members of the Tacoma Police Department and SWAT responded, leading to a standoff. Law enforcement reportedly had difficulty communicating with Kray, a Cambodian national, because he spoke very little English.
As the standoff stretched into its fourth hour, Kray stepped outside of the home, with police believing he was going to surrender. As he exited the home, he was hit by two rubber projectiles. He then grabbed a 7.62 mm SKS rifle and fired a single shot, striking Tacoma police officer Bill Lowry in the chest before the bullet created an exit wound and struck another officer behind Lowry.
“Officer Lowry stumbled backward onto the large porch as other SWAT officers fired at Kray,” Behind the Badge Foundation stated. “He was shot by officers and retreated back into the house. Several hours later, Kray surrendered, paralyzed from the waist down.”
Lowry was transported to Harborview Medical Center, where he died that same day. He worked with the Tacoma Police Department for 18 years after serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
According to KOMO News, 11 Tacoma police officers have died in the line of duty.
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