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Leo G Davis
Agency patch
Correctional Officer

Leo G Davis

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation — Sacramento, CA
Felonious
United States flag California flag
End of Watch July 21, 1971
Age 38
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 108 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 41

Incident

Correctional Officer Leo Davis was stabbed to death at San Quentin State Prison while guarding a prisoner who was a witness to the murder of Officer William Shull the previous year at Soledad Prison. Officer Davis was guarding the door to the prisoner's hospital cell when he was attacked and stabbed by two inmates who were attempting to gain access to the cell to murder the other prisoner. The suspects were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on June 21, 1973. Officer Shull was stabbed to death on July 23, 1970, and Officer John Mills was beaten to death on January 16, 1970, in retaliation for an earlier incident in which three prisoners were shot and killed during a courtyard riot. Correctional Officer Davis had served with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Correctional Officer Davis gave the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Davis.

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

Agency

Department California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Type Corrections
Location Sacramento, CA
Platform Identity cdcrcorr.sacramento.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 21, 1971
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Leo 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1971, 168 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 18th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Leo was 38. 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. Leo had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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 edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has 42 officers remembered here, Leo among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Correctional Officer Leo G Davis

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation · End of Watch July 21, 1971

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 1-E

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