Michael Roy Kirby

District of Columbia Department of Corrections — Washington, DC

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch November 30, 1973

Age 26

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 113 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Correctional Officer Michael Kirby was stabbed to death while investigating the activity of three inmates in a recreation yard at Lorton Correctional Facility in Fairfax County, Virginia. As he was reporting to his gate assignment, he noticed the three inmates tampering with a manhole cover. As he approached the three men, they ran into a nearby dorm. When Officer Kirby followed them into the dorm, he was attacked and stabbed to death. His body was then rolled into a sheet and stuffed under a bed. Shortly after a head count at 3:30 p.m., the inmates took his body and shoved it down the manhole. When other officers realized that he was missing, a search of the prison was initiated. His body was located in the manhole at approximately 5:30 p.m. All three inmates were charged with and convicted of Officer Kirby's murder. Officer Kirby was a U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran and had served with the District of Columbia Department of Corrections for one year.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-DC-38FC4601
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.
Correctional Officer Kirby gave the District of Columbia Department of Corrections 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of the District of Columbia, 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 District of Columbia Department of Corrections

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity dcdcorr.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 30, 1973

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Shank

Offender Convicted of murder

Military Service

Michael Roy Kirby served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Correctional Officer Michael Roy Kirby 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At District of Columbia Department of Corrections, 7 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

District of Columbia Department of Corrections

of 7 officers

100% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious