Richard James Burke

Florida Department of Corrections — Tallahassee, FL

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch October 12, 1980

Age 48

Tour of Duty 4 mo

The Vigil Panel 123 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 32

Incident

Correctional Officer Richard Burke was stabbed to death at the Florida State Prison while escorting death row inmates from their cells to the shower. The subject was already serving a death sentence for murdering a couple after robbing them. He was sentenced to death and subsequently executed on January 7th, 2014. Officer Burke was a United States Navy Korea and Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Florida Department of Corrections for only four months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-BA1496E3
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 Burke served with the Florida Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Florida, 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 Florida Department of Corrections

Location Tallahassee, FL

Platform Identity fdcorr.leon.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 12, 1980

Tour of Duty 4 mo

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Shank

Offender Sentenced to death

Military Service

Richard James Burke served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Correctional Officer Richard James Burke 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Florida Department of Corrections, 11 of 33 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Florida Department of Corrections

of 33 officers

33.3% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious