Roll of Honor
Jose Rivera
Incident
Location: California Weapon: Edged weapon; Shank Offender: Sentenced to life
Correctional Officer Jose Rivera was stabbed to death by two inmates at United States Penitentiary Atwater in Atwater, California. The inmates stabbed Officer Rivera with homemade knives as he was locking cell doors in preparation for the 4:00 pm headcount.
Other officers immediately responded to the location and restrained both suspects. Officer Rivera was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds several hours later.
One inmate, serving a life sentence for a third robbery, was convicted of murder and received a new life sentence. The other inmate, serving a life sentence for murder, is to be tried in April of 2015.
One of the inmates who murdered Officer Rivera had been implicated, but never charged, in the murder of Correctional Officer Douglas Mashburn of the Guam Department of Corrections on June 24th, 1987.
Officer Rivera was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons for only 10 months.
Survivors
He is survived by his mother, two sisters, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-44238FF4- 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 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 Rivera 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Jose Rivera served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Correctional Officer Jose Rivera 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 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 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
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.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jose Rivera's cause is highlighted.
How Jose Rivera Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jose Rivera is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jose Rivera was killed by edged weapon; shank.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
33 officers from United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
