William E. Donaldson

Alabama Department of Corrections — Montgomery, AL

Felonious

End of Watch January 12, 1990

Age 27

The Vigil Panel 135 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 10

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: 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.
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

Department Alabama Department of Corrections

Location Montgomery, AL

Platform Identity alabcorr.montgomery.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 12, 1990

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Shank

Offender Committed suicide

Correctional Officer William E. Donaldson is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

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.

Alabama Department of Corrections

of 11 officers

63.6% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious