Albert Jerald Cox

Oklahoma Department of Corrections — Oklahoma City, OK

Felonious

End of Watch March 5, 1977

Age 46

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

The Vigil Panel 118 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 18

Incident

Correctional Officer Albert Cox was stabbed to death after being abducted during an escape attempt at the Oklahoma State Reformatory's trusty unit outside of the prison walls. A search was begun after Officer Cox and an inmate were discovered to be missing. Officer Cox's body was found under more than two dozen 50-pound sacks of feed in a chicken coop in the prison farm. He had been stabbed several times and his throat had been slashed by a home-made knife. The pickup truck he had been making his rounds in was located in Johnston County. Later that day, near Mannsville, the suspect held a knife to the throat of an 11 year-old boy and forced him and his father to drive him to a remote location before releasing them and taking their vehicle. Five days later the car was found abandoned in Florida. On October 4, 1977, the suspect was captured by FBI agents in Denver, Colorado. The suspect, who was serving a 15 year sentence for a 1974 robbery conviction, was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. In 1982 his conviction was overturned and a new trial was ordered. He was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to life. He has been denied parole several times, including his last parole hearing in 2007. Officer Cox had served with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for 12 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OK-8C8E70DC
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Correctional Officer Cox gave the Oklahoma Department of Corrections 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oklahoma. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Cox.

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

Agency

Department Oklahoma Department of Corrections

Location Oklahoma City, OK

Platform Identity odcorr.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 5, 1977

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Shank

Offender Sentenced to life

Correctional Officer Albert Jerald Cox is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Oklahoma Department of Corrections, 14 of 19 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 73.7% of this agency's fallen.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections

of 19 officers

73.7% Felonious

OK — Statewide

403

of 582 officers

69.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious