Charles Robert Elder

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections — Mechanicsburg, PA

Felonious

End of Watch August 9, 1954

Age 56

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 90 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 17

Incident

Correctional Officer Charles Elder was killed during an escape attempt. Between 7:15 am and 8:10 am, Officer Elder was assaulted and stabbed to death by one of four inmates while he was in the bakeshop at State Correctional Institute at Huntingdon. The inmates were attempting to escape through the bakeshop. The 22-year-old delinquent killer was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. He had been in and out of criminal institutions since he was 10. He was denied parole in 1975.

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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 Elder gave the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Elder.

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

Agency

Department Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Location Mechanicsburg, PA

Platform Identity pdcorr.cumberland.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 9, 1954

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 56

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Knife

Offender Sentenced to life

Correctional Officer Charles Robert Elder 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, 13 of 18 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.2% of this agency's fallen.

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

of 18 officers

72.2% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious