Prev Next
Correctional Officer

James Payton Jones

Oklahoma Department of Corrections — Oklahoma City, OK
Felonious
United States flag Oklahoma flag
End of Watch February 17, 1935
Age 65
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 69 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 18

Incident

Correctional Officer James Jones was shot and killed during an escape attempt of 32 convicts at 2:00 pm.

He was assigned to the guard tower at the Oklahoma State Reformatory, in Granite, when one of the escaping inmates opened fire with a shotgun, killing him. The inmates obtained two guns that had been smuggled into them and took a school group hostage as the group took a tour.

Most if not all were eventually captured. Officer Jones' killer was identified and he and three others, who planned the escape, were charged with his murder. All four were convicted and sentenced to life. The killer was paroled on July 22, 1959. The other three were eventually transferred to Alcatraz to serve life sentences for federal crimes including bank robberies and kidnapping. One was pardoned by President Nixon on October 29, 1973.

Correctional Officer Jones' wife was standing on a porch a short distance away at the time of the shooting and witnessed her husband's murder.

Correctional Officer Jones had been with the agency for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtnk6bbty38hv151wq8xn
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 James. 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.
Correctional Officer Jones gave the Oklahoma Department of Corrections 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oklahoma. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Jones.

— 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 February 17, 1935
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 65
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James 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
  4. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1935, 154 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 25th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 65. 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. James had served 3 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%. Sundays: 15.2%.

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 shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Correctional Officer James Payton Jones

Oklahoma Department of Corrections · End of Watch February 17, 1935

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 2-E

↑