Roll of Honor
Incident
Superintendent Robert Taylor was assaulted, stabbed and beaten to death by four inmates in the South Cell House of the Pontiac Correctional Center. Superintendent Taylor was stabbed with a 10-inch shank two times in the chest and four times in the back and suffered several blows to the head with a pipe. Two inmates were sentenced to death and the other two inmates received life sentences. On January 11, 2003, the outgoing governor granted clemency to all 167 Illinois death row inmates as one of his last acts in office. Both inmates' sentences were commuted to life without parole.
Survivors
Superintendent Taylor was survived by his wife, son, three daughters, mother, stepfather, four brothers and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-4083E9B1- 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.
Superintendent Taylor served with the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Superintendent Taylor.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Superintendent Robert L. Taylor 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Illinois Department of Corrections, 27 of 32 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 84.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert L. Taylor's cause is highlighted.
How Robert L. Taylor Compares
Offender Outcome
Death sentence commuted
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert L. Taylor is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert L. Taylor was killed by edged weapon; shank.
Others Who Wore This Badge
31 officers from Illinois Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
