A three-judge panel returned the verdict finding Richard Reynolds guilty of murder and capital felony in the December 1992 death of the Waterbury police officer, Walter T. Williams.

Mr. Reynolds could face the electric chair or life imprisonment without parole. State's Attorney John Connelly said he would seek the death penalty.

Mr. Reynolds, dressed in a gray suit, showed no visible reaction when the verdict was rendered. He was led away by bailiffs.

"I'm very pleased that it went in our favor," Mr. Williams's widow, Jeannine, said outside the courtroom. "I hope he gets what he deserves -- the ultimate punishment for the ultimate sacrifice. He took my husband's life, and one day I hope he has to feel the same way. It's been a very tough two years."

Judges Roland D. Fasano, Thomas G. West and Christine E. Keller of Superior Court deliberated more than three hours Tuesday and roughly two hours Wednesday before announcing the verdict.

2 Held in Killing of Waterbury Officer on Patrol

The New York Times

Saturday, December 19, 1992

A Waterbury police officer died this evening about 15 hours after he was shot in the head while on routine patrol in a drug-plagued neighborhood. The police arrested two men, and said one of them had shot the officer after the two had been stopped for questioning.

The officer, Walter Williams, 34, an eight-year veteran of the force, was discovered lying in the street by a neighborhood resident about 4 A.M. in the city's north end, near the intersection of Ward and Orange Streets. He had been shot once behind the left ear. His gun was still in its holster.

Officer Williams, whose wife is eight months pregnant with their third child, underwent surgery at St. Mary's Hospital. He died at 7 P.M. without regaining consciousness, the police said.

This afternoon, the Waterbury police arrested two suspects -- Richard Reynolds, 24, a former Brooklyn resident now living in Waterbury, and Anthony Crawford of Waterbury -- at a home near the shooting site. The police said witnesses saw two men run into the house after the shooting. Possibly Carrying Drugs

The police said Mr. Reynolds was wanted in New York on drug charges. They suspect he was carrying drugs when Officer Williams stopped him. Mr. Crawford, whose age was not available, had been on supervised home release since September after serving a robbery sentence, they said.

"Both suspects gave statements to police implicating themselves and implicating Reynolds as the shooter," said Waterbury State's Attorney, John Connelly. The police said they seized a .380-caliber pistol in the house where the men were arrested.

Mr. Connelly and Police Inspector John Griffin said at a news conference that Officer Williams stopped the suspects while they were walking on the street about 4 A.M.

They said Mr. Reynolds apparently had a pistol in his right pocket, and refused Officer Williams's request to remove his hands from his pockets. When the officer, who was not wearing a bulletproof vest, tried to grab the suspect's hands, he was shot.

"He was intending to kill the cop," Inspector Griffin said. "There's no question about that. Our information is he bumped into the officer deliberately to determine if the officer had a vest on. When he ascertained that, he shot him in the head point-blank."

Officer Williams fell unconscious to the street alongside his car. As the two suspects fled, Mr. Reynolds turned and fired four more shots that missed the officer, Mr. Connelly said.

A passer-by used the officer's portable radio to call the police.

Both men are scheduled to be arraigned Monday, when authorities said Mr. Reynolds would be charged with murder. Mr. Crawford was charged with hindering prosecution.

The victim