Florida Department of Corrections, Florida
End of Watch: Sunday, October 12, 1980
Age: 48
Tour of Duty: 4 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: October 12, 1980
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Shank
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death
Correctional Officer Richard Burke was stabbed to death at the Florida State Prison while escorting death row inmates from their cells to the shower.
The subject was already serving a death sentence for murdering a couple after robbing them. He was sentenced to death and subsequently executed on January 7th, 2014.
Officer Burke was a United States Navy Korea and Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Florida Department of Corrections for only four months. He was survived by his wife and two children.