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Captain

John A. Singleton

Louisiana Department of Corrections — Baton Rouge, LA
Felonious
United States flag Louisiana flag
End of Watch September 12, 1933
Age 47
The Vigil Panel 147 · Column 3 · Line 7 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Captain John Singleton, Guard Arnold Davis, and Guard James Fletcher were shot and killed during an escape of 12 prisoners from the Angola Prison.

The prisoners had obtained several firearms and attempted to force Captain Singleton to escort them out of the prison. He was shot several times when he refused. The inmates then attempted to gain access to the armory but were confronted by Trustee Guard Arnold Davis and Guard James Fletcher, who were both killed in the ensuing shootout.

After gaining obtaining numerous weapons from the armory the men then stole a car from the visitors lot and fled through the main gate. One of the inmates was killed as guards fired into the vehicle as it drove through the gate.

One of the ringleaders of the escape had previously been convicted of murdering Policeman Hence Giles, of the Texarkana, Arkansas, Police Department on July 16th, 1926, and Constable Lee Selman, of Little River County, Arkansas, on June 19th, 1928. The man was arrested the following month and charged with Captain Singleton's murder. Several trials ended in mistrial and he was eventually returned to Arkansas to finish his sentence there.

Captain Singleton was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Captain Singleton was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Captain Singleton served with the Louisiana Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Louisiana. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Singleton.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Louisiana Department of Corrections
Type Corrections
Location Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, LA
Platform Identity ldcorr.ebr.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 12, 1933
Age 47
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1933, 184 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 15th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 47. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Louisiana Department of Corrections has 12 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Captain John A. Singleton

Louisiana Department of Corrections · End of Watch September 12, 1933

Where the Name Is Cut

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