ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The father of a Michigan State Police trooper who was killed in the line of duty eight months ago has died.
The Michigan State Police told FOX 17 NEWS on Friday afternoon that Paul T. Butterfield died today from cancer. The elder Butterfield was a retired MSP trooper who lived in the Frankenmuth area.
He had been in the University of Michigan Hospital for the past couple of weeks.
He also was the father of Paul K. Butterfield, an MSP trooper who was shot Sept. 9, 2013, during a traffic stop in Mason County. Butterfield, 43, died later that night during surgery.
Eric Knysz, 20, and his wife, Sarah, were arrested later in Manistee County. Both were convicted of charges related to Eric Knysz shooting Butterfield. Shortly after his conviction, Knysz hanged himself in a prison cell and later died.
Paul T. Butterfield was a public presence, during both Eric and Sarah Knysz’s trial and sentencing. He made the following victim’s impact statement during Sarah Knysz’s sentencing:
“I have followed your court hearings and seen your tears, which cannot compare to the tears my wife and I shed following the shooting. You made the choice to stay with him (Eric Knysz) instead of doing the right thing and leave and call police.”
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