Woman becomes trooper after husband killed by drunk driver

PHOENIX (AZFamily/Gray News) — An Arizona woman who recently graduated from the state’s Department of Public Safety academy cited her husband’s death as motivation for joining.

Tracy Murphy graduated from the Arizona Department of Public Safety academy as part of Class 39, becoming a state trooper months after burying her husband of 19 years.

Murphy’s husband, Justin, was killed in March 2024 by a drunk driver while riding his motorcycle. She said his death is her reason for joining the Department of Public Safety.

Her husband was a Marine who had signed his retirement paperwork just two days before he was killed.

The two were high school sweethearts and were together for 21 years.

Murphy described the night she learned of his death.

“I got a phone call just after midnight. It was a friend of my husband’s,” Murphy said. “He was 10 houses from our driveway, so they told me, ‘You need to get ready. Justin was just in an accident.’”

Trooper reflects on husband’s pride

Murphy completed 255 days of training and graduated as part of the Department of Public Safety Class 39.

“So when those difficult days come, remember your why. Remember why you raised your hand. Remember why you put on that uniform,” Murphy said in an address to her graduating class.

Murphy said she believes her husband would be proud of her decision.

“Oh, he’d be super proud of me,” Murphy said. “I mean, I’m sure he’s shaking his fist up there a few times at me, but I’m sure he’d be super proud.”

Murphy will patrol overnight in Tucson, one of the areas affected by Department of Public Safety staffing shortages. The agency is short hundreds of troopers, and some highways are not covered by patrols overnight.

“I’m here because if I can get one drunk off the road, then I’m saving one family, if not multiple, from what my family is going through,” Murphy said. “And to me, if I can save one family, then I know that my entire career was successful.”

Murphy said she carries her husband’s memory into her new role.

Arizona’s new state budget includes more money for the Department of Public Safety. The funding does not fully account for the agency’s needs, but expanding coverage remains one of the Department of Public Safety’s top priorities.

Department of Public Safety officials said they hope to recruit more people like Murphy.