Gary Lee Rowe

United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons — Washington, DC

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 7, 1983

Age 30

The Vigil Panel 126 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 33

Incident

Correctional Officer Gary Rowe succumbed to injuries received when he was attacked by nine inmates who were attempting to escape from MCC San Diego in San Diego, California. A string made out of dental floss, 160 feet long, was being lowered from a window to the ground where a man waited. He was going to tie a rope to the string to be pulled back up when Officer Rowe entered their cell. The inmates attacked him with an iron bar, stripped him from a locker, and bashed his head against the cell wall knocking him unconscious. The inmates then shoved him under the cell's bed, where he was located by other officers who began searching for him. He never regained consciousness before passing away. Five inmates, 18, 21, 22, 36, and 38, were charged with murder, and four were charged with attempted escape. Two of the five, 22 and 38, were identified as the killers who bashed Officer Rowe's head against the cell wall. In July of 1983, the suspect, 22, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life to go along with his existing term of one year for illegal entry. The suspect, 18, was sentenced to four years. Three others were sentenced to 10 to 20 years. Another was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years. The convicted inmates were sent to federal prisons. Officer Rowe was a United States Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran. He was survived by three children. He is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Knox, Starke County, Indiana.

Survivors

He was survived by three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-27CCF76F
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Correctional Officer Rowe served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons

Type Federal Agency

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usdjfbpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 7, 1983

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Blunt object

Military Service

Gary Lee Rowe served in the the United States military (1971â1973) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Correctional Officer Gary Lee Rowe 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 53.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons, 26 of 34 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.5% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons

of 34 officers

76.5% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious