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Correctional Officer

Richard Ochoa

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation — Sacramento, CA
Felonious
United States flag California flag
End of Watch April 26, 1976
Age 38
Tour of Duty 4 yrs 8 mo
The Vigil Panel 117 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 41

Incident

Correctional Officer Richard Ochoa was bludgeoned to death while working at San Quentin State Prison. Officer Ochoa was found unconscious with head injuries by another guard who sounded a whistle. He was rushed to the prison hospital but died a short time later. Three inmates were suspected of attacking him with a weightlifting bar. On June 10, 1976, an inmate, 36, was charged with his murder. On January 31, 1977, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. His sentence would begin at the conclusion of a 6 to 20-year term for attempted robbery and a year-to-life term for assaulting a guard. The inmate became violent after he was forced to wear a jacket that had the word "SNITCH" on the back of it. This was not known until after the inmate's trial. Officer Ochoa had served at San Quentin State Prison for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

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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 Ochoa gave the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Ochoa.

— 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 April 26, 1976
Tour of Duty 4 yrs 8 mo
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Blunt object

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Richard 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 1976, 137 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 30th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Richard 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. Richard had served 4.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

April holds 8.4% 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 blunt object, in 1.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Correctional Officer Richard Ochoa

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation · End of Watch April 26, 1976

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 30-E

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