Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant John Duvall was stabbed and beaten to death by an inmate-trustee at Parchman Penitentiary.
The inmate, who was serving a 20-year sentence for manslaughter, had been reported missing from his unit. Sergeant Duvall's wife arrived at their home, located within the prison complex, to find her 18-year-old daughter missing and her husband lying on the kitchen floor, dead from multiple stab wounds. The inmate had kidnapped their daughter, who managed to escape, unharmed, the next day.
Two days later the inmate surrendered after being surrounded by national guardsmen and a posse of more than 2,000 men. As he was being escorted to jail he was seized by an angry mob, tied to a pile of logs, doused with gasoline, and burned to death.
Sergeant Duvall was survived by his wife and eight children.
Survivors
Sergeant Duvall was survived by his wife and eight children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MS-9D45C4DD- 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.
Sergeant Duvall served with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Mississippi. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Duvall.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant John D. Duvall 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 MS, 243 of 350 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this state's fallen. That is 69.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Mississippi Department of Corrections, 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John D. Duvall's cause is highlighted.
How John D. Duvall Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John D. Duvall is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John D. Duvall was killed by edged weapon; ice pick.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Mississippi Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
