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Alonzo Lanphear
Incident
Corrections Officer Alonzo Lanphear suffered a fatal heart attack while searching the New Jersey State Prison grounds for an inmate who had attacked another officer and escaped from the death row facility.
The inmate was able to trick the officer into coming close enough to his cell that he was able to capture him with a shank and tie his hands to the cell door with torn bed sheets. With the assistance of other inmates, he was able to use a mop handle to move the officer's desk close enough to the cells to obtain tools to break out of the cells.
The inmate put on the officer's uniform and made it to the death house roof before the alarm was sounded. Officer Lanphear obtained a heavy multi-barrel revolving gas gun and was searching the prison grounds when he suddenly collapsed. The escaped inmate was located on the roof and was shot and killed when he attempted to flee.
Officer Lanphear was a WWI veteran. He was survived by his wife, five children, and five grandchildren.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, five children, and five grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Corrections Officer Lanphear served with the New Jersey Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of New Jersey. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Alonzo Lanphear served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.
The Sacrifice · Cardiac
New Jersey Department of Corrections has lost 32 officers; 5 of them lost to cardiac events.
Alonzo is one of 38 officers lost to cardiac events in NJ, 5.9% of the 647 remembered there.
Alonzo is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Alonzo is one of 1,309 officers lost to cardiac events worldwide, 3.8% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1954, 1 officer at New Jersey Department of Corrections was lost to cardiac events, more than in any other year.
In 1954, 2 officers in NJ were lost to cardiac events, the 2nd heaviest of 32 years on record. The heaviest was 1965, with 3.
In 1954, 9 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 68th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
In 1954, 9 officers worldwide were lost to cardiac events, the 69th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
Who
Alonzo was 57. Of the 5 lost to cardiac events at New Jersey Department of Corrections whose age is recorded, half were between 44 and 57; the middle age was 56.
Alonzo was 57. Of the 35 lost to cardiac events in NJ whose age is recorded, half were between 44 and 56; the middle age was 48.
Alonzo was 57. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48.
Alonzo was 57. Of the 1,251 lost to cardiac events worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 42.5 and 55; the middle age was 48.
When
April holds 40% of these deaths at New Jersey Department of Corrections; July holds the most, 60%. Saturdays: 20%.
April holds 10.5% of these deaths in NJ; July holds the most, 13.2%. Saturdays: 7.9%.
April holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Saturdays: 14.3%.
April holds 8.9% of these deaths worldwide; January holds the most, 9.5%. Saturdays: 14.4%.
How
Cardiac deaths account for 15.6% of all 32 deaths at New Jersey Department of Corrections, the 3rd most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 5.9% of all 647 deaths in NJ, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 3.8% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 4th most common cause.
His people
New Jersey Department of Corrections has 32 officers remembered here, Alonzo among them.
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James B. Lippincott Mar 2, 1894
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Jacob Grandine Van Houten
Apr 14, 1896
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William H. Hemsing
Aug 17, 1899
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Charles I. Parker Oct 25, 1900
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Joseph W. Martin Nov 13, 1908
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Edward McManus Feb 18, 1909
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John R. Fitzgerald May 10, 1911
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Eli B. Stetser
Sep 21, 1913
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Frederick A. Douglass Mar 11, 1915
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Bruce Linwood Drummond
Mar 20, 1919
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George Harrison May 4, 1924
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Daniel J. Walsh Jul 3, 1924
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Joseph H. Tinney
Feb 4, 1928
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Frank Butcher
Mar 13, 1930
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Joseph Peto Dec 2, 1948
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Victor Viteritto
Feb 28, 1951
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Alonzo Lanphear Apr 10, 1954
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Donald Hiles
Mar 8, 1968
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George Paszkowski
Aug 8, 1969
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Donald Bourne
Feb 28, 1972
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Dean E. Evans Jul 7, 1978
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Frederick W. Baker
Jul 30, 1997
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Michael Price
Apr 19, 2000
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Wayne Robert Clark
Jan 10, 2006
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Nikeelan D. Semmon
Jul 1, 2016
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Nelson Perdomo
Apr 9, 2020
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Maria Gibbs
Apr 22, 2020
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Vincent R. Butler
Dec 28, 2020
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Edward Chavez Jamandron
Jan 15, 2021
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Daniel Richard Krupa
Nov 17, 2021
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Robert F. McCormack
Jan 30, 2022
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Daniel Sincavage
May 19, 2022
Where
Military Service
Alonzo Lanphear served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Visit Alonzo Lanphear’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 54-E
Also Remembered
Others Who Wore This Badge
31 officers from New Jersey Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
