Roll of Honor
William E. Donaldson
Incident
Correctional Officer William Donaldson was stabbed to death by a prisoner at the West Jefferson Correctional Institute when he entered a segregation unit to dispense medicine.
The suspect who murdered Officer Donaldson had been originally sent to prison for the shooting death of Fairfield Police Officer Myron Massey in 1985 during a traffic stop. Some time after murdering Corrections Officer Donaldson the suspect committed suicide.
The West Jefferson Correctional Institute was later renamed in honor of Officer Donaldson.
Survivors
Officer Donaldson was survived by his wife and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-9B647C57- 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.
Correctional Officer Donaldson served with the Alabama Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Alabama. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Donaldson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Correctional Officer William E. Donaldson 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 63 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Alabama Department of Corrections, 7 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William E. Donaldson's cause is highlighted.
How William E. Donaldson Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William E. Donaldson is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William E. Donaldson was killed by edged weapon.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
10 officers from Alabama Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
