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Donna A. Payant
Agency patch
Corrections Officer

Donna A. Payant

New York State Department of Correctional Services — Albany, NY
Felonious
United States flag New York flag
End of Watch May 15, 1981
Age 31
Tour of Duty 1 mo
The Vigil Panel 124 ›
Gender Female
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 35

Incident

Corrections Officer Donna Payant was attacked and strangled by an inmate at the Green Haven Correctional Facility. The inmate was serving three consecutive life sentences for kidnapping and murdering two women. She was lured to the prison chaplain's office by the perpetrator posing as another corrections employee. Her assailant was working in the chaplain's office at the time. After killing her, the inmate wrapped her body in plastic, stuffed it into a 55-gallon drum, and disposed of it in a dumpster. When she came up missing, the prison was locked down and searched. No trace was found, but search dogs traced her scent to the dumping area. The next morning the landfill was searched, and her body was found. The prisoner, 39, was convicted of Officer Payant's murder and sentenced to death on June 10th, 1983. One year later his sentence was commuted to a fourth life sentence. His parole eligibility date is in October 2028. Officer Payant was the first known state female correctional officer in the nation to be killed in the line of duty.

Survivors

She was survived by her husband, a prison guard, two sons, and a 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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Corrections Officer Payant served with the New York State Department of Correctional Services.
Thank you for your service to the Albany community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corrections Officer Payant.

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

Agency

Department New York State Department of Correctional Services
Type Corrections
Location Albany, Albany County, NY
Platform Identity nysdcscorr.albany.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 15, 1981
Tour of Duty 1 mo
Age 31
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Donna 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1981, 126 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 39th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Donna was 31. 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. Donna had served 0.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 person, in 2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

Her people

New York State Department of Correctional Services has 36 officers remembered here, Donna among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Corrections Officer Donna A. Payant

New York State Department of Correctional Services · End of Watch May 15, 1981

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-E

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