Theodore Rothe
Agency patch
Deputy Warden

Theodore Rothe

Felonious
End of Watch April 16, 1959
Age 40
The Vigil Panel 94 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Warden Theodore Rothe was shot and killed during a 35-hour convict rebellion at the Montana Sate Prison in which 16 guards were taken hostage. The ring leader of the convicts killed Deputy Warden Rothe and then committed suicide as the Montana National Guard and Montana Highway Patrol stormed the prison and regained control.

Survivors

Deputy Warden Rothe was survived by his wife, two children, two brothers, and two sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MT-0150153E
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.
Deputy Warden Rothe served with the Montana Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Montana. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Warden Rothe.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Helena, MT
Platform Identity mdcspcorr.lewisclark.mt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 16, 1959
Age 40
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Deputy Warden Theodore Rothe 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 MT, 93 of 142 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.5% of this state's fallen. That is 65.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Montana Department of Corrections - State Prison, 2 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Montana Department of Corrections - State Prison
2
of 4 officers
50% Felonious
MT — Statewide
93
of 142 officers
65.5% 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. Theodore Rothe's cause is highlighted.

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

How Theodore Rothe Compares

Age at Death
40
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Theodore Rothe is highlighted in Apr.

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. Theodore Rothe was killed by rifle.

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

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

3 officers from Montana Department of Corrections - State Prison are honored on badge.nw.