Joseph Kruse
Agency patch
Captain

Joseph Kruse

Iowa Department of Corrections — Des Moines, IA
Felonious
End of Watch June 8, 1972
Age 48
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Captain Joseph Kruse was stabbed to death by an inmate at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. Captain Kruse was stabbed in the heart during a scuffle with the inmate in which three other officers were also injured. The inmate, who had been in prison since 1967, was serving a 16-year sentence for kidnapping a 9-year-old girl and committing lascivious acts with her. He was convicted of second-degree murder for killing Captain Kruse on May 29th, 1973, and had 90 years added to his sentence. Captain Kruse had served with the Iowa Department of Corrections since January 1955 and was promoted to captain in 1968.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtn24tzz02d5ad94x53tj
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Joseph. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Captain Kruse gave the Iowa Department of Corrections 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Iowa. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Kruse.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Des Moines, Polk County, IA
Platform Identity idcorr.polk.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 8, 1972
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1972, 142 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 28th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joseph was 48. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Joseph had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

June holds 8.1% 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

Iowa Department of Corrections has 14 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

VI

Where

Captain Joseph Kruse

Iowa Department of Corrections · End of Watch June 8, 1972

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 41-E

↑