Raymond La Forest Messer

California Department of the Youth Authority — Sacramento, CA

Felonious

End of Watch August 11, 1951

Age 47

The Vigil Panel 87 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Officer Messer was stabbed to death at the California Vocational Institution at Lancaster. Officer Messer was making bed checks when he discovered one of the inmates in possession of two knives. He was stabbed when he ordered the man to hand over the weapons. The 20-year-old inmate, serving a sentence for assault with the intent to commit rape, was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. On February 4th, 1952, he strangled himself to death in his cell on San Quentin's death row.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-ABB1022C
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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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Messer served with the California Department of the Youth Authority.
Thank you for your service to the Sacramento community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Messer.

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

Agency

Department California Department of the Youth Authority

Location Sacramento, CA

Platform Identity cdyafed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 11, 1951

Age 47

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon

Offender Died in prison

Officer Raymond La Forest Messer 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 the Youth Authority, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

California Department of the Youth Authority

of 4 officers

75% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious