William C. Shull

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation — Sacramento, CA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 23, 1970

Age 40

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 107 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 41

Incident

Correctional Officer William Shull was beaten and stabbed to death at Soledad Prison by inmates in retaliation for the deaths of three inmates earlier in the year. Officer Shull was stabbed more than forty times with a metal file that had been sharpened into a shank. His body was found in the equipment shack of the recreation yard in the North Facility after an anonymous call at 10:00 a.m. Earlier in the year, on January 16, 1970, Correctional Officer John Mills was beaten to death in retaliation for the same three deaths. On July 21, 1971, Officer Leo Davis was stabbed to death at the San Quentin State Prison while guarding a prisoner who was a witness to Officer Shull's murder. Three inmates were attempting to gain access to the prisoner's hospital cell to murder him and attacked Officer Davis in an attempt to get his keys. All three inmates were charged with first-degree murder. Two of the inmates were tried and acquitted in March of 1972. The evidence revealed that it was the third inmate who killed Officer Mills. That inmate, who was awaiting his trial at San Quentin, was shot and killed by a guard during a prison riot on August 21, 1971. The riot, which he was personally responsible for starting, resulted in the deaths of three Correctional Officers: Officer Frank Deleon, Sergeant Jere Graham, and Officer Paul Krasenes. Officer Shull was a United States Army veteran and had served with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for one year.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-2ADECB10
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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.
Correctional Officer Shull gave the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of California, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Location Sacramento, CA

Platform Identity cdcrcorr.sacramento.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 23, 1970

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Shank

Offender Shot and killed

Military Service

William C. Shull served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Correctional Officer William C. Shull 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 30 of 42 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

of 42 officers

71.4% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious