Donald Hiles
Agency patch
Corrections Officer

Donald Hiles

Felonious
End of Watch March 8, 1968
Age 52
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
The Vigil Panel 103 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Corrections Officer Donald Hiles was attacked and beaten to death with a push broom at the minimum security Leesburg Prison Farm. His body was found lying on a path between the milking barn and dairy office. He had been severely beaten upon the head and face. The subject who beat him was never identified and his murder remains unsolved. Officer Hiles had served with the New Jersey Department of Corrections for 21 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-0996B402
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

21 years. You could have gone home.
Corrections Officer Hiles gave the New Jersey Department of Corrections 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of New Jersey. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corrections Officer Hiles.

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

Agency

Location Trenton, NJ
Platform Identity njdcorr.mercer.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 8, 1968
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 52
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Blunt object
Offender Never identified

Corrections Officer Donald Hiles 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 NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At New Jersey Department of Corrections, 16 of 32 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

New Jersey Department of Corrections
16
of 32 officers
50% Felonious
NJ — Statewide
264
of 646 officers
40.9% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald Hiles's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Donald Hiles Compares

Age at End of Watch
52
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
21
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Never identified

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Donald Hiles is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Donald Hiles was killed by blunt object.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location