Roll of Honor
Incident
Chauffeur Lewis Richards was struck on the head with a pipe and killed by an inmate that was attempting to escape from the Charlestown State Prison.
Five prisoners were working in the prison's license plate shop when Chauffeur Richards backed a prisoner truck up to the shop. The five prisoners suddenly attacked the prison guards and Chauffeur Richards. Four guards were injured and Chauffeur Richards was killed when he was struck on the head with a pipe.
The prisoners then stole Chauffeur Richards' truck and fled. They drove the truck through the front gate of the prison, where guards shot and killed two of the prisoners and recaptured the other three. It was one of the inmates who was killed who killed Chauffeur Richards. He was 27, a hardened criminal, who had been in and out of prison and reform school since he was 9-years-old.
Chauffeur Richards had served with the Massachusetts Department of Correction for seven years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-07527E7E- 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 Chauffeur Richards gave the Massachusetts Department of Correction 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Milford community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Prison Chauffeur Richards.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Prison Chauffeur Lewis D. Richards 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Massachusetts Department of Correction, 13 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 86.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Lewis D. Richards's cause is highlighted.
How Lewis D. Richards Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lewis D. Richards is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Lewis D. Richards was killed by blunt object; pipe.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
14 officers from Massachusetts Department of Correction are honored on badge.nw.
