Illinois Department of Corrections, Illinois
End of Watch: Thursday, April 1, 1971
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: April 1, 1971
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Knife
Suspect Info: Paroled in 1992
Corrections Employee Robert Jefferson succumbed to injuries suffered in an attack at 5:15 pm in a residential building during an escape attempt at the Sheridan Correctional Center.
Corrections Employee Jefferson was stabbed 14 times to the chest and neck with a table knife and metal rod which had both been sharpened. Other prison employees did not believe Corrections Employee Jefferson was individually targeted by the youths. Corrections Employee Jefferson was able to identify both youths who attacked him from his hospital death bed.
Both of the youths were sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison and were paroled in 1992.