The late Detective William Maldonado

From the beginning of Detective William Maldonado’s career in 1987, it was abundantly clear he was destined to be a leader and an outstanding Police Officer. Within two years of graduating the police academy, he was named Fifth Precinct Cop of the Year. Two years later he was transferred to a highly sought after plainclothes position and shortly thereafter was promoted to Detective. A new specialized Detective Command was formed in 2004, the Major Case Unit. With only 4 out of 300 Department Detectives to be assigned, Detective Maldonado was quickly chosen to be a part of this new unit. In 2010 he was assigned to the Federal Long Island Gang Task Force, demonstrating his exceptional investigative skills while working with Federal and Local Law Enforcement agencies.

In June of 2015 Detective Maldonado was diagnosed with colon cancer, detected during a routine colonoscopy. While receiving treatment for the cancer, he continued his work routine of giving 100% on every investigation. In August of 2016 a routine follow-up CT scan showed the cancer had spread to his lungs, which led to surgery and chemotherapy. During this time, he used minimal sick leave, once again displaying his dedication to duty.

In 2016 and 2017 despite serious health issues, Detective Maldonado worked closely with the Major Case Unit investigating the disappearance of five young men; he worked tirelessly on these cases which eventually led to the recovery of their remains. Although his health did not greatly improve, his dedication to duty did not waver as his expertise was needed on two murder scenes. In September 2016, two teenage girls were murdered leaving Brentwood High School and in April 2017 four young men were found murdered in Central Islip Park; MS-13 was suspected of these murders. Besides being an important investigator as part of the Federal Task Force, Detective Maldonado was also a primary liaison between the Suffolk County Police Department, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney Eastern District of New York. Through the hard work and determination of many law enforcement members, including Detective Maldonado, and the Prosecutors of Eastern District, more than a dozen subjects were arrested for the murders of the two teenage girls and four young men.

In 2018 Detective William Maldonado’s condition worsened, but his positive personality and determination continued to shine as he carried on working on his investigations until his last days. His battle against cancer took its toll on his body over time, but he never complained while doing the job he loved to do, right up to the end. Detective Maldonado’s perseverance and human spirit was an inspiration to all of the members of the Suffolk County Police Department.