Florida Department of Corrections, Florida
End of Watch: Sunday, March 18, 2012
Age: 24
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: March 18, 2012
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Shank
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death
Sergeant Ruben Thomas was stabbed to death by an inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution Annex.
At approximately 10:00 pm he was checking on an inmate in one of the prison's dorms when he was attacked. He was stabbed in the neck several times by the inmate who was armed with a shank. The inmate, who was serving a life sentence since 1995 for murdering a college student, then struck another officer in the eye with a sock filled with a heavy item before being taken into custody. On June 19, 2013, the inmate was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death.
Sergeant Thomas was transported to Shands Lake Shore Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
Sergeant Thomas had served with the Florida Department of Corrections for six years. He is survived by his young daughter and fiancee, and his parents.