Charles Robert Elder
Agency patch
Correctional Officer

Charles Robert Elder

Felonious
End of Watch August 9, 1954
Age 56
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
The Vigil Panel 90 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Correctional Officer Charles Elder was killed during an escape attempt. Between 7:15 am and 8:10 am, Officer Elder was assaulted and stabbed to death by one of four inmates while he was in the bakeshop at State Correctional Institute at Huntingdon. The inmates were attempting to escape through the bakeshop. The 22-year-old delinquent killer was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. He had been in and out of criminal institutions since he was 10. He was denied parole in 1975.

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August 2, 2026
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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.
Correctional Officer Elder gave the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Elder.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, PA
Platform Identity pdcorr.cumberland.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 9, 1954
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

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

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1954, 76 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 92nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Charles was 56. 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. Charles had served 8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has 18 officers remembered here, Charles among them.

VI

Where

Correctional Officer Charles Robert Elder

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections · End of Watch August 9, 1954

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 31-W

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