Hugh Lucas Johnson

Virginia Department of Corrections — Richmond, VA

Felonious

End of Watch January 19, 1965

Age 43

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 100 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 15

Incident

Assistant Superintendent Hugh Johnson and Corrections Employee James Vanneter were stabbed to death while working at the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond. The 30-year-old inmate, who was serving a life sentence for a murder conviction in 1952, had created an 8-inch shank out of a large file. He was working in the clothing shop when he suddenly ran to the superintendent's office and stabbed a clerk in the stomach, wounding him. He then ran to the industrial shop where he stabbed Superintendent Johnson in the stomach and chest. Superintendent Johnson succumbed to his wounds the following day. After stabbing Superintendent Johnson, the inmate ran to the prison hospital where he stabbed the prison doctor, and Corrections Employee James Vanneter, in the face, arm, and chest, before being subdued by correctional officers. The inmate, charged with two counts of murder, was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was released from prison in 1970 after the Virginia Supreme Court overturned his 1952 murder conviction. On December 30, 1971, he shot and killed two men in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life. He died in prison on May 16, 2002.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-64714C0D
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.
Assistant Superintendent Johnson gave the Virginia Department of Corrections 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Assistant Superintendent Johnson.

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

Agency

Department Virginia Department of Corrections

Location Richmond, VA

Platform Identity vdcorr.richmond.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 19, 1965

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Shank

Offender Released in 1970

Assistant Superintendent Hugh Lucas Johnson 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 VA, 395 of 654 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Virginia Department of Corrections, 8 of 16 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Virginia Department of Corrections

of 16 officers

50% Felonious

VA — Statewide

395

of 654 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious