Tom Fluitt

Louisiana Department of Corrections — Baton Rouge, LA

Accident

End of Watch May 30, 1936

Age 57

The Vigil Panel 71 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Captain Tom Fluitt was shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity while leading a posse searching for the murderer of Captain Nelson Himel.

Captain Himel and his wife were shot and killed at his home on the Angola prison camp. The prisoner had been assigned to tend to Captain Himel's yard and attacked his wife when she repulsed his advances. The inmate slit her throat, placed her body in the home's bathtub, and then waited for Captain Himel to return home.

When Captain Himel entered the house the inmate fatally shot him before stealing his revolver and wallet. He was able to leave the prison in Captain Himel's car by telling the gate guards that he was running an errand for the captain. The suspect then abducted another prisoner from the farm.

A large manhunt was started after the bodies were discovered. During the ensuing search, Captain Tom Fluitt was shot and fatally wounded by a posseman who mistook him and another man for the escapees.

The escapee was located several days later and committed suicide during a shootout with posse members.

Rest In Peace Brother LEO. You are honored and remembered on the 82nd anniversary of your EOW.

Officer Mike Robinson (Ret) Upland Police Dept. CA May 30th, 2018

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-LA-DBBB72D9
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.
Captain Fluitt served with the Louisiana Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Louisiana. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Fluitt.

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

Agency

Department Louisiana Department of Corrections

Location Baton Rouge, LA

Platform Identity ldcorr.ebr.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 30, 1936

Age 57

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Cause Detail Gunfire (Inadvertent)

Captain Tom Fluitt is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In LA, 180 of 595 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At Louisiana Department of Corrections, 2 of 12 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 16.7% of this agency's fallen.

Louisiana Department of Corrections

of 12 officers

16.7% Accident

LA — Statewide

180

of 595 officers

30.3% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident