William E. McCasling

Illinois Department of Corrections — Springfield, IL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch November 10, 1967

Age 50

Tour of Duty 5 mo

The Vigil Panel 103 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 31

Incident

Correctional Officer William McCasling succumbed to injuries suffered during an inmate fight at the Pontiac Correctional Center. Correctional Officer McCasling was helping staff members break up a fight between two inmates near the prison chapel when he was hit in the face and struck his head as he fell onto the concrete floor. The altercation started about 2:15 pm when inmates were leaving the chapel where a movie had been shown. As one inmate was led to segregation, another went on a rampage, injuring at least three other staff members before he was subdued. Correctional Officer McCasling was pronounced dead at the prison hospital at 3:05 pm. Correctional Officer McCasling had served with the Illinois Department of Corrections for just over five months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children who were living in southern Missouri.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-DCE6A6CF
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew William. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw. One record, 2 gates. William is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Correctional Officer McCasling 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, Correctional Officer McCasling.

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

Agency

Department Illinois Department of Corrections

Type Corrections

Location Springfield, IL

Platform Identity illicorr.sangamon.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 10, 1967

Tour of Duty 5 mo

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Person

Military Service

William E. McCasling served in the the United States military (1947â1964) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Correctional Officer William E. McCasling 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 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 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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.

Illinois Department of Corrections

of 32 officers

84.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious