Rex Thompson

Oklahoma Department of Corrections — Oklahoma City, OK

Felonious

End of Watch September 1, 1981

The Vigil Panel 124 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 18

Incident

Correctional Officer Rex Thompson succumbed to head injuries received the previous day when he was assaulted by a prisoner at the Lexington Correctional Center. Officers were in the process of performing a lockdown due to a prison fight. During the lockdown one of the inmates attacked Officer Thompson near his station at the control center. He fell backwards, hitting his head on a four inch steel beam and concrete sidewalk. Officer Thompson died from blunt force injury to the head. The 21-year-old suspect had served eight months of a two year sentence for assault with intent to kill. He was convicted of second degree murder and received an additional 10 years. In 1984 his sentence was overturned.

Survivors

Officer Thompson was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OK-6132A0CA
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 Thompson served with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oklahoma. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Thompson.

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

Agency

Department Oklahoma Department of Corrections

Location Oklahoma City, OK

Platform Identity odcorr.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 1, 1981

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Person

Offender Released in 1984

Correctional Officer Rex Thompson 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 OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Oklahoma Department of Corrections, 14 of 19 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 73.7% of this agency's fallen.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections

of 19 officers

73.7% Felonious

OK — Statewide

403

of 582 officers

69.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious