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Guard

Zoeth C. Skaggs

Illinois Department of Corrections — Springfield, IL
Accident
United States flag Illinois flag
End of Watch November 24, 1944
Age 53
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
The Vigil Panel 180 · Column 4 · Line 11 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 31

Incident

Guard Zoeth Skaggs was killed during an escape attempt by 10 inmates from the Stateville Correctional Center. The escape attempt started in either the furniture factory or the coal division when the escaping inmates overpowered guards. They made a makeshift ladder, which may have been too short for the 32-foot high fence surrounding the prison and stole a truck. The inmates raced the truck to Tower 12 at the southeast corner of the institution and laid the ladder on the wall. When the guard manning the tower challenged the inmates, they told him they were there to fix the searchlight. He told them the searchlight was never repaired from inside and ordered them to stop. The guard opened fire when they refused and the inmates threw Molotov cocktails in his direction. During the five-minute attempted escape, approximately 25 rounds were fired by the tower guards, one of which struck Guard Skaggs, who died about an hour and a half later. Guard Skaggs had served with the Illinois Department of Corrections for 14 years. He was survived by his wife and four sons. Before serving with the agency, Guard Skaggs was a school teacher in Marion.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four sons.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Guard Skaggs gave the Illinois Department of Corrections 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Guard Skaggs.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch November 24, 1944
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Age 53
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Zoeth is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1944, 48 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 99th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Zoeth was 53. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Zoeth had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Fridays: 15.1%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years

Guard Zoeth C. Skaggs

Illinois Department of Corrections · End of Watch November 24, 1944

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 38-E

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