Roll of Honor
Earl Cranston Strickland
Incident
Correctional Officer Earl Strickland was shot and killed by one of two inmates who gained control of a weapon that had been smuggled into the facility during a chaplain service at the Robeson Correctional Center near Lumberton. The suspects then took another officer hostage and fled in Officer Strickland's car. They stopped at a nearby farm where they took a family of four hostage and barricaded themselves along with the guard in the family's home. During the night three of the family members escaped and alerted police. The next day the suspects surrendered to officers who had surrounded the home. The suspect who shot Officer Strickland had been in prison since 1961. He was serving a 70 to 120 year sentence for second degree murder, kidnapping, and robbery. He was convicted of Officer Strickland's murder and received a life sentence on November 28, 1969. He was released from prison on May 2, 1991.
Survivors
Officer Strickland was survived by his expectant wife and child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-1335C6F4- 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.
Correctional Officer Strickland served with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Strickland.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Correctional Officer Earl Cranston Strickland 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 NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice, 13 of 31 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 41.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Earl Cranston Strickland's cause is highlighted.
How Earl Cranston Strickland Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Earl Cranston Strickland is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Earl Cranston Strickland was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
30 officers from North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
