John August Pieper

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections — Mechanicsburg, PA

Felonious

End of Watch February 11, 1924

Age 35

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 46 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 17

Incident

Deputy Warden John Pieper and Sergeant John Coax were shot and killed during an attempted prison escape at Western Penitentiary (modern-day SCI Pittsburgh). The escape attempt started when a gas main exploded near the prison's front gates. In the ensuing panic of the prisoners fleeing towards the prison's yard, a guard was disarmed. The inmates used the weapon to shoot and killed Deputy Warden Pieper and Sergeant Coax. Local police and deputies responded to the prison and were able to prevent the escape and assisted with bringing the situation under control. Five inmates were charged with first-degree murder. Two were acquitted. Each of the other three was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder. One received the death penalty and was executed December 27th, 1926.

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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.
Deputy Warden Pieper gave the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Warden Pieper.

— 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 February 11, 1924

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's weapon

Offender Executed in 1926

Deputy Warden John August Pieper 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