SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Police Department's Special Victims Unit remembers Det. Benjamin Marconi every day with a chair that sits in the same room they conduct roll call in the mornings.
“I think it makes us all better individuals here, better detectives, knowing what he has done, what he did for all his victims to bring justice for,” Robert Valadez, a SAPD detective said.
The chair decorated with his name and badge number is placed where he used to stand during roll call.
On Nov. 20, 2016 Sgt. Michael Davis was downtown when he heard that an officer was down.
"Your mind is racing trying to figure out the why’s,” Davis, said.
The call was for Marconi who was shot while writing a traffic citation.
"When the news came back that it was Ben, and Ben worked for my unit. You start to wonder how to process that,” Sgt. Davis said.
You start to wonder how to process that."
Many of his fellow officers said he was one of the best the Police Department had to offer.
It was a difficult day and it continued to be months later.
"They would wonder and think about Ben when they would receive one of his cases because it had his handy work all over it,” Davis, said.
And while it may be hard at times, the Police Department is making certain he is never forgotten.
"I think of the family. I think of the detectives who knew him, who knew him very well. I think of his friends, loved ones. I think of his grandson that he won't see. I think of the community, I think that's sad. They wonder, 'Why would this happen?'" Davis, said.