Arthur Sprouse

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction — Columbus, OH

Felonious

End of Watch July 24, 1973

Age 40

Tour of Duty 11 mo

The Vigil Panel 112 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 25

Incident

Correctional Officer Arthur Sprouse was shot and killed by an inmate who was able to obtain a firearm at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. The inmate then held three guards hostage for more than an hour. When guards rushed the suspect and subdued him, Officer Gary Underwood was accidentally shot and killed by one of the guards. A guard who had recently been fired was charged with smuggling the gun to the inmate. The 24-year-old inmate, who was serving a life sentence for a 1970 murder, received another life sentence on August 15th, 1973, when convicted of murdering Officer Sprouse. He will be eligible for parole on July 1, 2029. Office Sprouse had served with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for 11 months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-B50C8E8F
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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 Sprouse served with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Sprouse.

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

Agency

Department Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

Location Columbus, OH

Platform Identity odrc.franklin.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 24, 1973

Tour of Duty 11 mo

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .25 caliber

Offender Sentenced to life

Correctional Officer Arthur Sprouse 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, 18 of 26 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this agency's fallen.

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

of 26 officers

69.2% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious