March 16, 2026
Pennsylvania State Police/Facebook
The funeral for Cpl. Timothy O’Connor, above, takes place Wednesday morning in Downingtown. O'Connor was killed during a traffic stop on March 8.
Cpl. Timothy O'Connor, the Pennsylvania state trooper who was killed during a traffic stop in Chester County, will be memorialized at a funeral service Wednesday morning in Downingtown.
The funeral at St. Joseph's Parish is private, but it will be livestreamed at 11 a.m. on PACast and the Pennsylvania State Police's Facebook page. A public viewing will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the parish.
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O'Connor, 40, was a 15-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police and a member of the First West Chester Fire Company. He began his law enforcement career in 2011 with the Avondale patrol unit after graduating from the state police academy. He was a member of the Embreeville patrol unit at the time of his death.
O'Connor was fatally shot Sunday, March 8, after stopping Jesse Nathan Elks for erratic driving near Route 10 and Michael Road in West Caln Township. Investigators said Elks, 32, of Honey Brook, shot O'Connor and then killed himself. O'Connor was transported to Paoli Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The shooting is being investigated as a murder-suicide by state police and the Chester County District Attorney's Office.
During his law enforcement career, O'Connor received several awards for his service, including the Chester County Manhunt Service Award. The honor was given to the many law enforcement officers who helped capture Danelo Cavalcante after the convicted killer escaped from prison in 2023.
He also served as a counselor at Chester County Camp Cadet, an overnight summer camp for youth 11-14.
O'Connor is survived by his wife, Casey; daughter, Kenzie; and his mother, father, siblings and nephews.
"To describe Tim as passionate, courageous and selfless is to capture just a glimpse of the extraordinary man he was," his family wrote in his obituary. "His absence will leave an indelible void in the hearts of those who knew him, but his spirit will continue to inspire acts of kindness, bravery and solidarity within the community he loved so dearly."
Beginning at 2 p.m. Tuesday, the following roads will close for an escort procession to St. Joseph's Parish, 338 Manor Ave. The roads will reopen after the procession passes.
• North Church Street at West Biddle Street, West Chester
• Manor Avenue in the area of St. Joseph Parish, Downingtown
Also, North Church Street in front of DellaVecchia, Reilley, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home in West Chester will be closed for two hours before the procession.
Additional road closures will be in effect Wednesday for the funeral service and procession:
• Manor Avenue between Rock Raymond Road and East Pennsylvania Avenue from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• All ramps from Route 30 bypass to Manor Avenue, beginning at 11 a.m.
• Manor Road between Horseshoe Pike and Culbertson Run Road, starting at 1 p.m.
• Rolling closures of Horseshoe Pike between Lancaster Avenue and Manor Road, starting at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the O'Connor family is requesting people make donations to the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association at 3625 Vartan Way, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Checks can be made payable to the "Survivor Fund" and include "O'Connor" in the memo.
