United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Monday, February 25, 2013
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: February 25, 2013
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Shank
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Senior Officer Specialist Eric Williams was stabbed to death by an inmate inside the housing unit at USP Canaan in Waymart, Pennsylvania, at approximately 11:30 p.m.
The inmate attacked Officer Williams and stabbed him with a shank before being subdued by other officers. Officer Williams was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
The inmate, 36, was serving a life sentence for a 2008 murder conviction, committed in 2002 in Phoenix, Arizona. He was serving an 11 year sentence in federal prison for selling cocaine. On June 7, 2017, he was convicted of Officer Williams' murder and received another life sentence.
Officer Williams had served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons for 18 months. He is survived by his parents, sister, and two brothers.
In February 2014, King's College began the Eric J. Williams College Scholarship. In October 2015, the State Route 1005 bridge over Lily Lake was renamed Eric J. Williams Memorial Bridge. In March 2016, the Eric Williams Correction Officer Protection Act of 2014 was signed into law.