James Otis McMurray
Agency patch
Guard

James Otis McMurray

Felonious
End of Watch December 9, 1920
Age 49
The Vigil Panel 40 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Guard James McMurray succumbed to injuries suffered the previous day when he was beaten by an inmate at the Stateville Correctional Center. The inmate, who resented an order given him by Guard McMurray, hit him with a brick and then grabbed his cane beating him about the head with it causing his death. The inmate who was being held for another murder died at the Stateville Correctional Center in 1939.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtmgvysagvnm00h6xx2gc
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew James. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Guard McMurray served with the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Guard McMurray.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Springfield, Sangamon County, IL
Platform Identity illicorr.sangamon.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 9, 1920
Age 49
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Blunt object

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1920, 209 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 49. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was blunt object, in 1.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Illinois Department of Corrections has 32 officers remembered here, James among them.

Guard James Otis McMurray

Illinois Department of Corrections · End of Watch December 9, 1920

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 35-E

↑