Howard V. Murphy

Massachusetts Department of Correction — Milford, MA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch January 1, 1942

Age 47

Tour of Duty 5 mo

The Vigil Panel 78 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Correctional Officer Howard Murphy, Correctional Officer George Landry, and Correctional Officer Franklin Weston were stabbed to death at the Massachusetts State Farm in Bridgewater. The three officers were working in the Department of Defective Delinquents section of the farm at the time. Officer Weston had gone with two inmates to carpentry and shoe shop to fix a light. He turned his back to the inmates to screw the light bulb in and was attacked by one of the men and knocked unconscious. The inmates then grabbed several tools and chisels. Before fleeing they stabbed Officer Weston ten times with a chisel. As they attempted to make their escape they were confronted by Officer Murphy and Officer Landry. Officer Murphy caught them as they headed towards the third floor of the building. The men suddenly turned around and stabbed Officer Murphy with the chisels as well. They also stabbed Officer Landry when he came to the aid of Officer Murphy. The suspects were eventually apprehended after a standoff with the state police. Both inmates were executed on January 1, 1947, for the three murders. Officer Murphy was a United States Navy veteran of World War I and had been with the Massachusetts Department of Correction for five months.

Survivors

He was survived by three brothers and two sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-BF5792B1
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 Murphy served with the Massachusetts Department of Correction.
Thank you for your service to the Milford community, 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 Massachusetts Department of Correction

Location Milford, MA

Platform Identity mdc.worcester.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 1, 1942

Tour of Duty 5 mo

Age 47

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon

Offender Executed in 1947

Military Service

Howard V. Murphy served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Correctional Officer Howard V. Murphy 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Massachusetts Department of Correction, 13 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 86.7% of this agency's fallen.

Massachusetts Department of Correction

of 15 officers

86.7% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious