Roll of Honor
Incident
Trustee Guard Claude Martin was shot and killed during an escape from the Cummins Prison Farm.
The escape had been planned for over a year, and the prisoners enlisted the aid of two trustee guards to help. After finishing lunch, the escapees began quietly disarming the guards. One of the prisoners slashed a guard with a knife, and Guard Martin stepped in to stop the assault. But before he could fire his weapon, he was shot in the chest. Once he fell, another guard shot him in the back.
Thirty-four prisoners and two trustee guards escaped that day. All escapees were recaptured. The escapee who shot Guard Martin was shot and killed after he and five other men killed Posseman Frank Gartman in Louisiana. The Trustee Guard who shot Trustee Guard Martin was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Trustee Guard Martin had only served as a guard for a week.
Survivors
He was survived by two sons and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AR-33717E5F- Stewardship
- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trustee Guard Martin served with the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Arkansas. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trustee Guard Martin.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Trustee Guard Claude Martin is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 66.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Arkansas Department of Corrections, 4 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Claude Martin's cause is highlighted.
How Claude Martin Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Claude Martin is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Claude Martin was killed by shotgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Arkansas Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
