A convicted cop killer sentenced to life for his role in the 1981 shooting death of a New Jersey State Police trooper has died in a federal prison.

Thomas William Manning, 73, was convicted in the killing of Trooper Philip J. Lamonaco , which occurred following a traffic stop and gun battle on Route 80 in Warren County.

Lamonaco had stopped a car occupied by two wanted men from the defunct United Freedom Front, a group responsible for bombings and bank robberies.

Richard Charles Williams, believed to be the one who shot the trooper nine times after Lamonaco had disarmed Manning, died in prison in 2005.

A passing motorist found Lamonaco face down in the snow and he later died at a hospital.

Police found the suspect’s bullet-riddled car, complete with the men’s fingerprints and blood stains from Williams, six miles from the shooting scene.

Manning was arrested in 1985 and sentenced two years later. In addition to the life sentence for the trooper’s killing, he was sentenced to 53 years for his role in a series of bombings in New York.

During a trial that lasted three months, the defense argued that the shooting was self-defense.

Manning died Monday at a prison in West Virginia, officials confirmed.

Lamonaco was 32 years old when he died, leaving behind a wife and three children. A memorial marks the spot where he fell.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT . Find NJ.com on Facebook .

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