Arthur L. Kisro

Illinois Department of Corrections — Springfield, IL

Felonious

End of Watch November 23, 1965

Age 45

The Vigil Panel 101 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 31

Incident

Lieutenant Arthur Kisro, Lieutenant Lewis Paul and Correctional Officer George Wilson were killed during a riot at the Menard Correctional Center. The incident started when a flaming bottle filled with lacquer thinner was thrown at a guard tower, where the officer there was severely burned. A riot erupted and four of its leaders barricaded themselves and hostages in the kitchen. Lieutenant Paul died instantly from a stab wound to his heart when the riot broke out at about 4:15 pm in the inmate dining hall. Lieutenant Kisro died at 6:15 pm from assault wounds to his liver and abdomen. Correctional Officer Wilson died at 8:40 pm from assault wounds to his liver and kidney. During the over four-hour standoff, another injured correctional officer who was being held hostage and suffering from loss of blood, was given a transfusion through the bars of the kitchen door. The director of the Department of Public Safety was able to talk the inmates into surrendering at 8:40 pm. The four leaders of the uprising were convicted. Three inmates were sentenced to death until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972. One of these inmates was resentenced to 480 years in prison, another was resentenced to three 200 year terms, while the third was resentenced to 300 years. A fourth inmate, who was sentenced to 50 to 75 years, was paroled on July 2, 1998. The inmate sentenced to 300 years was paroled in 2014.

Survivors

Lieutenant Kisro was survived by his wife, son and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Lieutenant Kisro 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, Lieutenant Kisro.

— 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 November 23, 1965

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Person

Offender Convicted

Lieutenant Arthur L. Kisro 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