Steven P. Ary Sr.

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections — Mechanicsburg, PA

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch September 16, 1973

Age 29

The Vigil Panel 112 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 17

Incident

Correctional Officer Steven Ary was stabbed to death while working at SCI-Graterford. He was attacked in a corridor near the prison's kitchen and stabbed more than 40 times. The 24-year-old inmate was serving a life sentence for the murders of two patrons at a Philadelphia bar three years earlier. The charge of murdering Officer Steven was dismissed in court because the only witness refused to testify. Officer Ary was a United States Navy Vietnam War veteran.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-578F48D5
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy, salute.nw. One record, 3 gates. Steven is one person.

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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 Ary served with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Type Corrections

Location Mechanicsburg, PA

Platform Identity pdcorr.cumberland.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 16, 1973

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon

Military Service

Steven P. Ary Sr. served in the U.S. Navy (1963â1967) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Correctional Officer Steven P. Ary Sr. 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, 13 of 18 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.2% of this agency's fallen.

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

of 18 officers

72.2% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious