Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Oklahoma
End of Watch: Tuesday, September 1, 1981
Age:
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: August 31, 1981
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Released in 1984
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.
Officer Thompson was survived by his wife and two children.