California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California
End of Watch Thursday, March 4, 1971
Add to My HeroesRobert J. McCarthy
Correctional Officer Robert McCarthy was stabbed and killed while working at the Central Correctional Training Facility in Soledad.
Officer McCarthy was mortally wounded at 11:10 pm during the nightly head count in X wing. He was stabbed in the neck when a rape convict called him to a cell under the pretext of mailing a letter.
The convict was also awaiting trial on charges of assaulting a guard in December, 1970. On August 21, 1971, he was involved in a riot at San Quentin Prison that resulted in the murders of three correctional officers, Officer Paul Krasenes, Officer Jere Graham, and Officer Frank Deleon. He was one of six convicts charged with their murders. They became known as the "San Quentin Six" and their 16 month trial was the longest and most expensive in California's history.
Officer McCarthy's killer was sentenced to life and has been denied parole nine times. He was stabbed to death during a prison riot at Folsom Penitentiary on August 12, 2015.
Officer McCarthy had been employed at Soledad since November 1966 and was survived by his wife and two children.
Bio
- Age 43
- Tour 4 years, 4 months
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Stabbed
- Weapon Edged weapon
- Offender Died in prison
Most Recent Reflection
View all 16 ReflectionsRest In Peace Correction Officer McCarthy. Thank you for your service. My thoughts and prayers are with the McCarthy Family and the California Department of Corrections.
Cpl. Gary Hughes (Retired)
Passaic County Sheriff's Office New Jersey
September 8, 2021
Recent LODD Deaths

Police Officer Cesar "Echy" Echaverry
Miami-Dade Police Department, FL
EOW: August 17, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Ned P. Byrd
Wake County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: August 11, 2022

Corporal Chad M. Beattie
Washington County Sheriff's Office, PA
EOW: August 10, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Andrew Peery
El Paso County Sheriff's Office, CO
EOW: August 7, 2022

Special Police Officer Maurica Manyan
District of Columbia Public Library Office of Public Safety, DC
EOW: August 4, 2022

Sergeant Jèan-Harold Louis Astree
Fairburn Police Department, GA
EOW: July 28, 2022

Sergeant Matthew Ryan Fishman
Wayne County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: August 2, 2022

Supervising Fire Marshal John Joseph "Jack" McCauley
New York City Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Investigation, NY
EOW: May 28, 2022

Police Officer Noah Jacob Shahnavaz
Elwood Police Department, IN
EOW: July 31, 2022