Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant Luther Fails was stabbed to death by an inmate at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility at 1240 Ross Road in Atmore. He and two other guards were escorting a 24-year-old inmate from the exercise yard back to his cell when he suddenly attacked them with a knife. Another guard killed the inmate with a blow to his head. All three guards were injured in the attack. The inmate had a history of attacking guards. Lieutenant Fails was a United States Navy WWII veteran and had served with the Alabama Department of Corrections for 21 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, and four daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-AF158F81- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Lieutenant Fails gave the Alabama Department of Corrections 21 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Alabama, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Luther F. Fails served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Lieutenant Luther F. Fails 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.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Luther F. Fails's cause is highlighted.
How Luther F. Fails Compares
Offender Outcome
Killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Luther F. Fails is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Luther F. Fails was killed by edged weapon.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
10 officers from Alabama Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
