Funeral held for slain Chicago detective Robert Soto

Chicago Police Detective Robert Soto's casket is placed in a hearse at Foran Funeral Home in Summit before a funeral mass Tuesday morning at St. Francis of Assisi Church on the Near West Side. (Tribune photo by Chuck Berman / August 19, 2008)

Funeral held for slain Chicago detective
'It's a reminder of the evil that still exists in this city and this society,' Police Supt. Jody Weis says before service for Robert Soto
By Robert Mitchum Chicago Tribune reporter
12:34 PM CDT, August 19, 2008


Mourners gathered Tuesday morning at a Near West Side church to pay their last respects to Chicago Police Detective Robert Soto, five days after he died from wounds suffered in an armed robbery last week.

Soto's blue-and-silver casket was carried into historic St. Francis of Assisi Church, 813 W. Roosevelt Rd., past about 50 police officers in full-dress uniform and Supt. Jody Weis standing in salute.

Dozens more officers and hundreds of family members and friends streamed into the church behind the casket for a traditional Catholic funeral mass.

Delivering the eulogy for the family, Robert Galvan spoke of his brother-in-law's love for his family, "crazy sense of humor" and infectious smile.
click post title for more


also

Pallbearers carry Chicago Police Detective Robert Soto's casket out of St. Francis of Assisi Church after his funeral mass Tuesday morning. (Tribune photo by Michael Tercha / August 19, 2008)

Cop's last words led to suspect
Fatally shot, Chicago Police Detective Robert Soto was able to steer police on path to an arrest in double murder
By David Heinzmann and Matthew Walberg Chicago Tribune reporters
August 19, 2008
As he sat dying in the driver's seat of his SUV, Chicago Police Detective Robert Soto dialed 911 on his cell phone and told police he had been shot.

Still conscious when officers reached him moments later, the off-duty Soto was able to utter a few words. A robbery. Three men. A maroon car fleeing west.

Soto's dying words were key to getting investigators off on the right foot, Chief of Detectives Thomas Byrne said Monday as police announced charges against the man alleged to be the triggerman.

"If we didn't have Detective Soto's own words, motive would have been open to speculation," Byrne said.
go here for more
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cop-killed-charge-web-aug19,0,782155.story