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Officer

Willard Johnston

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation — Sacramento, CA

Felonious

End of Watch February 24, 1938

Age 54

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 74 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 41

Incident

Officer Willard Johnston was killed when he was struck with a pick axe while trying to keep a prisoner from assaulting another prisoner. The incident occurred in a rock quarry at the Folsom Prison. The 31-year-old inmate, sent to Folsom Prison for robbery, received a life sentence in 1928 after he beat to death a fellow inmate with a shovel. He was convicted of Officer Johnston's murder and received another life sentence. Days later, he was transferred to an insane asylum but was sent back to Folsom Prison because he was uncontrollable. He died in the Folsom Prison hospital of tuberculosis on November 14, 1939. Officer Johnston had served with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for six years and was assigned to the Folsom Prison. He was on duty the day of the Folsom Riot in 1937 and was one of the guards who rushed into the lower yard, attempting to save Warden Clarence Larkin and Officer Harry Martin. He was survived by his wife and six children. His father retired from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation after 30 years of service. His brother-in-law was one of the militiamen killed attempting to capture the 13 convicts who escaped the Folsom Prison in 1903 after killing Officer William Leopold Cotter.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

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Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Johnston gave the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Johnston.

— 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 February 24, 1938

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 54

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Willard 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1938, 111 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 45th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Willard was 54. 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. Willard had served 6 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

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