Robert L. Hoffmann, Sr.

United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons — Washington, DC

Felonious

End of Watch October 22, 1983

Age 53

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

The Vigil Panel 127 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 33

Incident

Correctional Officer Robert Hoffmann was stabbed to death by an inmate at USP Marion in Marion, Illinois, at 8:30 pm. He and two other officers were escorting an inmate from a recreation cage back to his cell when another inmate slipped him a shank. He then attacked and began to stab the officers. Correctional Officer Hoffmann dragged one of the officers to safety after he was stabbed and then returned to the tier to save the second officer, who was still being attacked. As he rescued the second officer, the inmate stabbed him as well. He was able to rescue the second officer also before collapsing into the arms of his son, who was also a correctional officer at the facility. Because of Correctional Officer Hoffmann's heroic actions, neither of the other officers died of their wounds. The inmate was convicted of Correctional Officer Hoffmann's murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 2004 he died of a heart attack in prison. The murder of Correctional Officer Hoffmann took place just eight hours after Correctional Officer Merle Clutts was murdered in an unrelated incident in the same prison. Correctional Officer Hoffmann had served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons for 13 years.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-F9ED6788
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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.
Correctional Officer Hoffmann gave the United States Department of Justice 13 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Hoffmann.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usdjfbpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 22, 1983

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Age 53

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Shank

Offender Died in prison

Correctional Officer Robert L. Hoffmann, Sr. 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.

United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons

of 34 officers

76.5% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious