Roll of Honor
Eric Williams
Incident
Location: Pennsylvania Weapon: Edged weapon; Shank Offender: Sentenced to life
Senior Officer Specialist Eric Williams was stabbed to death by an inmate inside the housing unit at USP Canaan in Waymart, Pennsylvania, at approximately 11:30 p.m.
The inmate attacked Officer Williams and stabbed him with a shank before being subdued by other officers. Officer Williams was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
The inmate, 36, was serving a life sentence for a 2008 murder conviction, committed in 2002 in Phoenix, Arizona. He was serving an 11 year sentence in federal prison for selling cocaine. On June 7, 2017, he was convicted of Officer Williams' murder and received another life sentence.
Officer Williams had served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons for 18 months.
Survivors
He is survived by his parents, sister, and two brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-CC2442EA- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Eric. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
You barely got started.
Senior Officer Specialist Williams gave the United States Department of Justice 1 year.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Senior Officer Specialist Williams.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Senior Officer Specialist Eric Williams 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 United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons, 26 of 34 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Eric Williams's cause is highlighted.
How Eric Williams Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Eric Williams is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Eric Williams was killed by edged weapon; shank.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
33 officers from United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
