Arizona Department of Corrections, Arizona
End of Watch: Monday, September 18, 1967
Age: 65
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 18, 1967
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Sergeant James Stiner was shot and killed after being abducted by a prisoner he was transporting from Pinal County Superior Court.
During the court session, the prisoner was somehow passed a handgun by his wife which he hid until his return trip to jail. During the return trip, he made Sergeant Stiner drive to a remote area of desert two miles Coolidge, where he fatally shot him.
The subject was captured less than 24 hours later after being involved in a shootout with members of the Casa Grande Police Department. In March 1968 the subject was convicted of Sergeant Stiner's murder and was sentenced to two life terms in prison.
In 1976 the subject escaped a second time after his two sons smuggled a shotgun into the prison. One of his sons was killed in a shootout with authorities when they encountered a roadblock. Sergeant Stiner's killer fled on foot from the roadblock but was found dead of heat exhaustion nearby 11 days later. His other son and a second accomplice were arrested and charged with aiding his escape as well as four unrelated murders.
Sergeant Stine was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force. He had served with the Arizona Department of Corrections for five years. He was survived by his wife, three sons, and one stepson.