Roll of Honor
Joel A. Legaspi
Incident
Correctional Officer Joel Legaspi suffered a fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage after working mandatory overtime hours at the Indian Creek Medical Center at 801 Sanderson Road in Chesapeake.
During a 14-hour shift, a dough cutter went missing in the kitchen. After an exhausting search, Officer Legaspi complained of a severe headache. When he returned to work the next day, other officers noticed he did not look well, and he was relieved early to go to the doctor. He received pain medication and went home, but his symptoms got worse. After calling in sick, Officer Legaspi passed out and was unable to be resuscitated.
Officer Legaspi was a United States Army National Guard veteran and had served with the Virginia Department of Corrections for over 11 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, son, mother, three sisters, nephews, and nieces.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-B1FA1C9E- 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.
Corrections Officer Legaspi gave the Virginia Department of Corrections 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia. 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
Joel A. Legaspi served in the Army (1985â1994) before joining law enforcement.
Corrections Officer Joel A. Legaspi is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In VA, 23 of 654 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 3.5% of this state's fallen. That is 5.6 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Virginia Department of Corrections, 2 of 16 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 12.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joel A. Legaspi's cause is highlighted.
How Joel A. Legaspi Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Joel A. Legaspi is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
15 officers from Virginia Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
