Manuel Ariza Gonzalez Jr.
Agency patch
Corrections Officer

Manuel Ariza Gonzalez Jr.

Felonious
End of Watch January 10, 2005
Age 43
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 152 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Corrections Officer Manuel Gonzalez was stabbed to death by an inmate while working in Sycamore Hall of the California Institution for Men in Chino, California.

The suspect, who was appointed as a spokesman for a portion of the prison population, had been permitted to leave his cell to speak with other inmates about their complaints. A short time later, a correctional officer observed the inmate attacking Officer Gonzalez and ordered him to get down. The suspect then walked away as Officer Gonzalez fell to the ground. Officer Gonzalez, who was not wearing a vest, had been stabbed with a shank. He succumbed to his wounds while being transported to a local hospital.

The inmate, believed to be a gang member, was kept in custody, transferred to a different facility, and charged with capital murder. He was serving a 75 year sentence for the attempted murder of a Los Angeles police officer in 2002. Two other inmates were also transferred as a result of the incident.

Six months later, Officer Gonzalez's brother-in-law, Deputy Sheriff Jerry Ortiz of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, was shot and killed while conducting a gang related investigation in an apartment complex.

Officer Gonzalez had served with the California Department of Corrections for 17 years. He is survived by his wife and six children. He is buried in Resurrection Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum, Montebello, California.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-88954228
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.
Corrections Officer Gonzalez gave the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corrections Officer Gonzalez.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity cdcrcorr.sacramento.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 10, 2005
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Stabbed
Weapon Edged weapon; Shank

Corrections Officer Manuel Ariza Gonzalez Jr. 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 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 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
30
of 42 officers
71.4% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Manuel Ariza Gonzalez Jr.'s cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Manuel Ariza Gonzalez Jr. Compares

Age at Death
43
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
17
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Manuel Ariza Gonzalez Jr. is highlighted in Jan.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Manuel Ariza Gonzalez Jr. was killed by edged weapon; shank.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location