Roll of Honor
Howell Burchfield
Incident
Sergeant Howell Burchfield was stabbed to death when he was attacked by an inmate at the San Quentin State Prison's Carson Unit.
He was stabbed in the heart, causing him to bleed to death. All three inmates involved in the attack were convicted of his murder. The inmate who stabbed him and the inmate who ordered the stabbing were sentenced to life with no possibility of parole. The inmate who made and provided the shank was sentenced to death.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-73F86972- 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.
Sergeant Burchfield gave the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Burchfield.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Howell Burchfield 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 30 of 42 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Howell Burchfield's cause is highlighted.
How Howell Burchfield Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Howell Burchfield is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
41 officers from California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
