Officer's death investigation continues

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - It's been nearly five months since someone gunned down a Norfolk Police officer.

Officer Victor Decker was off-duty when he was shot and killed outside a Virginia Beach nightclub in October. His family, friends, and the people he protected on the downtown beat are anxious for answers.

Police said two homicide investigators and two other detectives are assigned full time to Decker's case.

They're questioning people every day, they are getting tips and following leads, and police said they're confident the work they're doing every day will pay off with an arrest.

On a clear, sunny Friday afternoon on Granby Street, there was still a dark cloud that hangs over Decker's old beat.

"He was more than just a police officer, he was a friend," said Logan Evans, manager at 219 restaurant.

Evans can't believe how much time has passed since that horrible night last October when someone shot and killed Officer Decker outside a Virginia Beach nightclub near Oceana.

"After all this time, we still don't know anything and haven't seen anything. He has not been forgotten around here, we can only hope that justice will be found as soon as possible," said Evans.

Decker was killed on October 26. The next day, Beach officers and a team of recruits scoured a grassy area off Interstate 264 after a tip about some possible evidence.

A month later, in November, Officer Decker's widow spoke publicly for the first time.

"I miss his silly jokes and quirky sense of humor, that's what I miss," said Dawn Decker.

Then in December, detectives checked cell phone records of calls connected through a phone tower near the spot where Officer Decker's body was found.

"I know that the police department is working as hard as they can on it," said Baxter Simmons, who owns Baxter's on Granby Street.

Simmons said he has faith in Beach investigators, but the waiting is getting tougher and tougher.

"He was a friend to everybody so you want to make sure that whoever did this definitely pays for it in the end," said Simmons.

This is one of only two unsolved homicides in Virginia Beach from last year. Several detectives are assigned to this case full time, and police said they are actively following tips, tracking leads, and interviewing and re-interviewing people every day.