Essex County Sheriff's Department, New York
End of Watch: Monday, November 15, 1948
Age: 64
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: November 15, 1948
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 50 years to life
Deputy Sheriff Earl Torrence was beaten and strangled to death with a rope by two prisoners in the Essex County Jail during an escape attempt.
The prisoners had lured Deputy Torrence, the lone jailer on duty, into the cell after the lights had been turned off for the night and then beat him and garroted him. Deputy Torrence's body was found with the rope tied around his neck by the Sheriff when Deputy Torrence's wife was unable to contact him.
The two prisoners escaped from the jail. One suspect was captured the next day in Keene Valley near Elizabethtown. The other suspect was taken into custody a few days later. Both suspects, ages 21 and 32, were convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 50 years to life.
Deputy Torrence was survived by his wife.