Correctional Officer Robert L. Hoffmann
United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
U.S. Government
End of Watch: Saturday, October 22, 1983

Biographical Info
Age: 53
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: Saturday, October 22, 1983
Incident Location: Illinois
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Shank
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life

Correctional Officer Robert Hoffmann was stabbed to death by an inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois.

He and two other officers were escorting an inmate from a recreation cage back to his cell when another inmate slipped him a shank. He then attacked and began to stab the officers. Correctional Officer Hoffmann dragged one of the officers to safety after he was stabbed and then returned to the tier to save the second officer, who was still being attacked.

As he rescued the second officer the inmate stabbed him as well. He was able to rescue the second officer also before collapsing into the arms of his son, who was also a correctional officer at the facility. Because of Correctional Officer Hoffmann's heroic actions neither of the other officers died of their wounds.

The inmate was convicted of Correctional Officer Hoffmann's murder and sentenced to life in prison.

The murder of Correctional Officer Hoffmann took place just eight hours after Correctional Officer Merle Clutts was murdered in an unrelated incident in the same prison.

Correctional Officer Hoffmann had served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons for 13 years.