Robert Jefferson

Illinois Department of Corrections — Springfield, IL

Felonious

End of Watch April 1, 1971

Age 30

The Vigil Panel 108 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 31

Incident

Corrections Employee Robert Jefferson succumbed to injuries suffered in an attack at 5:15 pm in a residential building during an escape attempt at the Sheridan Correctional Center. Corrections Employee Jefferson was stabbed 14 times to the chest and neck with a table knife and metal rod which had both been sharpened. Other prison employees did not believe Corrections Employee Jefferson was individually targeted by the youths. Corrections Employee Jefferson was able to identify both youths who attacked him from his hospital death bed. Both of the youths were sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison and were paroled in 1992.

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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.
Corrections Employee Jefferson served with the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corrections Employee Jefferson.

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

Agency

Department Illinois Department of Corrections

Location Springfield, IL

Platform Identity illicorr.sangamon.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 1, 1971

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Knife

Offender Paroled in 1992

Corrections Employee Robert Jefferson 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Illinois Department of Corrections, 27 of 32 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 84.4% of this agency's fallen.

Illinois Department of Corrections

of 32 officers

84.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious