Lieutenant Owen Davenport, Kentucky Department of Corrections, Kentucky

Lieutenant Owen Davenport

Kentucky Department of Corrections, Kentucky

End of Watch Wednesday, July 18, 1956

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Owen Davenport

Lieutenant Owen Davenport was stabbed to death in the prison yards of the Kentucky State Penitentiary.

The 23-year-old inmate, serving a five year sentence for a 1954 larceny conviction, stabbed Lieutenant Davenport in the throat with a home-made knife. He said he was high on smuggled drugs and had know memory of the incident. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He was granted a new trial, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life in 1958. On May 4, 1967, he and three other inmates were charged with holding a guard hostage at knifepoint in an effort to escape from Eddyville State Penitentiary.

Lieutenant Davenport had served with the Kentucky Department of Corrections for 13 years.

Bio

Age 57
Tour 13 years
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Stabbed
Weapon Edged weapon; Knife
Offender Sentenced to life

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Most Recent Reflection

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He was my maternal grandfather. His murder disrupted our family in a profound way. The last child of his just passed away this spring 2020. I was only 5 so I don't have a lot of memories other than being on the farm near Fredonia when I was really young.

Stephen Roll
Grandson

August 27, 2020