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Rex Thompson
Agency patch
Correctional Officer

Rex Thompson

Oklahoma Department of Corrections — Oklahoma City, OK
Felonious
United States flag Oklahoma flag
End of Watch September 1, 1981
The Vigil Panel 124 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 18

Incident

Correctional Officer Rex Thompson succumbed to head injuries received the previous day when he was assaulted by a prisoner at the Lexington Correctional Center. Officers were in the process of performing a lockdown due to a prison fight. During the lockdown one of the inmates attacked Officer Thompson near his station at the control center. He fell backwards, hitting his head on a four inch steel beam and concrete sidewalk. Officer Thompson died from blunt force injury to the head. The 21-year-old suspect had served eight months of a two year sentence for assault with intent to kill. He was convicted of second degree murder and received an additional 10 years. In 1984 his sentence was overturned.

Survivors

Officer Thompson was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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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 Thompson served with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oklahoma. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Thompson.

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

Agency

Department Oklahoma Department of Corrections
Type Corrections
Location Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, OK
Platform Identity odcorr.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 1, 1981
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Rex 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.

  3. See the roll
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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

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
III

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
IV

His people

Oklahoma Department of Corrections has 19 officers remembered here, Rex among them.

Across the years
V

Where

Correctional Officer Rex Thompson

Oklahoma Department of Corrections · End of Watch September 1, 1981

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 60-E

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