Michael Roy Kirby
Agency patch
Correctional Officer

Michael Roy Kirby

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch November 30, 1973
Age 26
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
The Vigil Panel 113 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Correctional Officer Michael Kirby was stabbed to death while investigating the activity of three inmates in a recreation yard at Lorton Correctional Facility in Fairfax County, Virginia. As he was reporting to his gate assignment, he noticed the three inmates tampering with a manhole cover. As he approached the three men, they ran into a nearby dorm. When Officer Kirby followed them into the dorm, he was attacked and stabbed to death. His body was then rolled into a sheet and stuffed under a bed. Shortly after a head count at 3:30 p.m., the inmates took his body and shoved it down the manhole. When other officers realized that he was missing, a search of the prison was initiated. His body was located in the manhole at approximately 5:30 p.m. All three inmates were charged with and convicted of Officer Kirby's murder. Officer Kirby was a U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran and had served with the District of Columbia Department of Corrections for one year.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-38FC4601
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 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 Kirby gave the District of Columbia Department of Corrections 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of the District of Columbia, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity dcdcorr.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 30, 1973
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 26
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

Military Service

Michael Roy Kirby served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Correctional Officer Michael Roy Kirby 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 97,759 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 53.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At District of Columbia Department of Corrections, 7 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

District of Columbia Department of Corrections
7
of 7 officers
100% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,419 officers
53.1% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael Roy Kirby's cause is highlighted.

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

How Michael Roy Kirby Compares

Age at Death
26
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
1
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Roy Kirby is highlighted in Nov.

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. Michael Roy Kirby was killed by edged weapon.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Michael Roy Kirby served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Michael Roy Kirby’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.