Roll of Honor
Earl Langfitt
Incident
Prison Guard Earl Langfitt was stabbed to death at the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
He was stabbed by an inmate whom he had reprimanded for misconduct in the prison dining hall.
The 44-year-old inmate, serving a life sentence for murder, was convicted of Guard Langfitt's murder and hanged at Moundsville Penitentiary on September 10, 1926.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WV-106BFD21- 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.
Prison Guard Langfitt served with the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Thank you for your service to the Charleston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Prison Guard Langfitt.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Prison Guard Earl Langfitt 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 WV, 169 of 232 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.8% of this state's fallen. That is 18.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 6 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Earl Langfitt's cause is highlighted.
How Earl Langfitt Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1926
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Earl Langfitt is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Earl Langfitt was killed by edged weapon; shank.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation are honored on badge.nw.
