Iowa Department of Corrections, Iowa
End of Watch: Thursday, June 8, 1972
Age: 48
Tour of Duty: 17 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: June 8, 1972
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Shank
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 90 years
Captain Joseph Kruse was stabbed to death by an inmate at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison.
Captain Kruse was stabbed in the heart during a scuffle with the inmate in which three other officers were also injured.
The inmate, who had been in prison since 1967, was serving a 16-year sentence for kidnapping a 9-year-old girl and committing lascivious acts with her. He was convicted of second-degree murder for killing Captain Kruse on May 29th, 1973, and had 90 years added to his sentence.
Captain Kruse had served with the Iowa Department of Corrections since January 1955 and was promoted to captain in 1968. He was survived by his wife and five children.