Roll of Honor
Gary P. Underwood
Incident
Correctional Officer Gary Underwood was accidentally shot and killed when he was being held hostage by an inmate at the Lucasville Prison (current-day Southern Ohio Correctional Facility). The inmate had just shot and killed Officer Arthur Sprouse with a pistol that had been smuggled to him. He took Officer Underwood and two other officers hostage. When he threatened to kill them, sharpshooters fired at him. As soon as they fired, the inmate pushed Officer Underwood into the line of fire and dropped to the floor. The other guards subdued the inmate. A guard who had recently been fired was charged with smuggling the gun to the inmate. The inmate, who was serving a life sentence for murder, was convicted of Officer Sprouse's murder and received another life sentence. Officer Underwood had served with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for two years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-D6C3A82C- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Gary. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Correctional Officer Underwood gave the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Underwood.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Correctional Officer Gary P. Underwood is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In OH, 318 of 991 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, 5 of 26 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 19.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Gary P. Underwood's cause is highlighted.
How Gary P. Underwood Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Gary P. Underwood is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
25 officers from Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
