Tom Basinski died March 25 after a years-long bout with colorectal cancer.
He was 68.
Born on Aug. 31, 1946, in Flint, Mich., to Ralph and Mima Basinski, Mr. Basinski graduated from St. Agnes High School in 1964 where he excelled in basketball and football and was president of the student council. That same year he attended St. Paul Catholic Seminary in Saginaw, Mich., where he was also enrolled in Saginaw Valley State University until 1967.
Beginning in 1968, he lived at Assumption Catholic Seminary in San Antonio, Texas, and also attended St. Mary’s University, earning a B.A. in English literature in 1969. That same year Mr. Basinski left the seminary so he could join the Flint Police Department where he worked patrol, traffic and vice.
He made his way to the city of Chula Vista in 1970 where he joined the Chula Vista Police Department. During his 18-year career in the department, Mr. Basinski worked undercover narcotics, vice, patrol, child abuse/sex crimes, homicide and robbery. He was promoted to sergeant in 1986.
In 1987 Mr. Basinski left the police force to work as an investigator for the San Diego District Attorney’s Office. He was promoted to supervisor in 2004 before leaving one year later.
In 2005, from February through May, Mr. Basinski worked in the San Diego City Attorney’s Office as a public corruption investigator and bodyguard.
When Mr. Basinski wasn’t solving crimes, he was putting pen to paper. He authored four novels and several short stories.
From 1984 through 1991, Mr. Basinski wrote and sold over 125 stories to various pulp detective magazines.
In 1992 he sold a story to Vanity Fair that was never printed.
He received recognition for his writing in 2005 to 2006, winning two awards from the San Diego Society of Professional Journalists and San Diego Press Club.
Basinski’s debut novel “No Good Deed” was published in 2006. The true crime book centered on a San Diego cold homicide case.
Three years later he published his second book, “Cross Country Evil,” about a San Diego murder that took 18 years to solve.
In 2009 Mr. Basinski started writing “Behind Police Lines,” a twice monthly column published in The Star-News.
Mr. Basinski is survived by his wife of 43 years, Judy; son Joe and his wife Talitha (and daughters Madison and Brooklyn); son Nick and his wife Katie, and brother Dan.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on April 11 at St. Pius X Catholic Church at 1120 Cuyamaca Ave. in Chula Vista.
For reception information email jbski@cox.net by Wednesday, April 8.
