California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California
End of Watch: Thursday, February 24, 1938
Age: 54
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: February 24, 1938
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Pick ax
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Officer Willard Johnston was killed when he was struck with a pick axe while trying to keep a prisoner from assaulting another prisoner. The incident occurred in a rock quarry at the Folsom Prison.
The 31-year-old inmate, sent to Folsom Prison for robbery, received a life sentence in 1928 after he beat to death a fellow inmate with a shovel. He was convicted of Officer Johnston's murder and received another life sentence. Days later, he was transferred to an insane asylum but was sent back to Folsom Prison because he was uncontrollable. He died in the Folsom Prison hospital of tuberculosis on November 14, 1939.
Officer Johnston had served with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for six years and was assigned to the Folsom Prison. He was on duty the day of the Folsom Riot in 1937 and was one of the guards who rushed into the lower yard, attempting to save Warden Clarence Larkin and Officer Harry Martin. He was survived by his wife and six children.
His father retired from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation after 30 years of service. His brother-in-law was one of the militiamen killed attempting to capture the 13 convicts who escaped the Folsom Prison in 1903 after killing Officer William Leopold Cotter.