Prison Guard

Eli Jenkins

Missouri Department of Corrections — Jefferson City, MO
Felonious
End of Watch February 28, 1918
Age 66
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
The Vigil Panel 33 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Guard Eli Jenkins was stabbed to death by one of two inmates who were attempting to escape from the Missouri State Penitentiary. The 22-year-old inmate who stabbed him was sentenced to prison in 1915 to serve a six-year sentence for burglary. He was convicted of Guard Jenkins' murder and sentenced to life. He died in prison on April 7th, 1926. Guard Jenkins had served with the Missouri State Penitentiary for 25 years and was one of the oldest serving officers.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

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

25 years. You could have gone home.
Prison Guard Jenkins gave the Missouri Department of Corrections 25 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of Missouri. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Prison Guard Jenkins.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Jefferson City, Cole County, MO
Platform Identity mdcorr.cole.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 28, 1918
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
Age 66
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Eli 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1918, 165 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 19th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Eli was 66. 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. Eli had served 25 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. 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 edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Missouri Department of Corrections has 20 officers remembered here, Eli among them.

VI

Where

Prison Guard Eli Jenkins

Missouri Department of Corrections · End of Watch February 28, 1918

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 48-W

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