Branch Martin Miller
Agency patch
Officer

Branch Martin Miller

Accident
End of Watch August 20, 1925
Age 68
The Vigil Panel 49 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Branch Miller was accidentally shot and killed by other guards after six inmates took him hostage during an escape attempt. The prisoners were working in the wharf area of San Quentin Prison when they overpowered Officer Miller and forced him into a boat. Other guards saw men trying to escape but did not know that they had taken Officer Miller as a hostage. The guards opened fire, killing Officer Miller. The prisoners were able to continue their escape but were arrested approximately three miles away and were all charged with Officer Miller's murder.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-6CDE1FF8
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.
Officer Miller served with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Miller.

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

Agency

Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity cdcrcorr.sacramento.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 20, 1925
Age 68
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Officer Branch Martin Miller is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 7 of 42 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 16.7% of this agency's fallen.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
7
of 42 officers
16.7% Accident
CA — Statewide
719
of 1,837 officers
39.1% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Branch Martin Miller's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Branch Martin Miller Compares

Age at End of Watch
68
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Branch Martin Miller is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location