Roll of Honor
Incident
Guard James Hart was beaten and strangled to death by three inmates who were attempting to escape from the Missouri State Penitentiary.
The inmates were able to make it out of the prison during a severe winter snowstorm but were tracked by officers and fatally shot.
Guard Hart had served with the Missouri Department of Corrections for three years.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-55FB08F6- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Prison Guard Hart gave the Missouri Department of Corrections 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Missouri. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Prison Guard Hart.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Prison Guard James Hart 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Missouri Department of Corrections, 9 of 20 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 45% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Hart's cause is highlighted.
How James Hart Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Hart is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Hart was killed by person.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
19 officers from Missouri Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
