Roll of Honor
Frederick Gayle Hyatt
Incident
Officer Frederick Hyatt was strangled and beaten to death during an escape attempt by five inmates at the Middle Tennessee Correctional Complex at 7177 Cockrill Bend Boulevard in Nashville.
Other officers noticed an inmate in a common area, out of his cell, at approximately 11:30 pm. The officers attempted to contact Officer Hyatt, who was assigned to the common area, but were unable to reach him.
When officers responded to the common area, they located Officer Hyatt's body. He had been strangled with a cord from a laundry bag and beaten with his flashlight and a sock filled with canned food. Officer Hyatt was taken to Saint Thomas Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
None of the five inmates were able to escape, and all were kept in custody at the prison.
Officer Hyatt was a United States Army Vietnam veteran and had served with the Tennessee Department of Correction for 11 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, daughter, and son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-370B3E30- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Correctional Officer Hyatt gave the Tennessee Department of Correction 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Nashville community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Frederick Gayle Hyatt served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Correctional Officer Frederick Gayle Hyatt 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 TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Tennessee Department of Correction, 11 of 14 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 78.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Frederick Gayle Hyatt's cause is highlighted.
How Frederick Gayle Hyatt Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Frederick Gayle Hyatt is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
13 officers from Tennessee Department of Correction are honored on badge.nw.
