Indiana Department of Correction, Indiana
End of Watch: Wednesday, December 29, 1976
Age: 60
Tour of Duty: 14 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: December 29, 1976
Weapon Used: Blunt object
Suspect Info: Never apprehended
Corrections Employee Harold Rice was beaten to death at the Indiana State Prison at 1 Park Row Street in Michigan City.
An inmate clerk reporting for work to the institution's laundry at 8:00 am found Corrections Employee Rice on the floor, having been brutally beaten. He had been struck on the head 13 times with a blunt instrument and was taken to the infirmary, where he was pronounced dead.
The institution was placed on lockdown after the incident, but the inmates who perpetrated the attack were not found, nor was the weapon used in the assault. The warden initially thought robbery may have been a motive.
Corrections Employee Rice had served with the Indiana Department of Correction for a total of 14 years, having previously served as a correctional officer at the prison for 6½ years. He was survived by his wife.