Iowa Department of Corrections, Iowa
End of Watch Thursday, June 8, 1972
Add to My HeroesJoseph Kruse
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.
Bio
- Age 48
- Tour 17 years
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Stabbed
- Weapon Edged weapon; Shank
- Offender Sentenced to 90 years
Most Recent Reflection
View all 11 ReflectionsJoe trained me, I bid off the shift because his LT was an @$$. There was 3 or 4 of us bid off because of that. Joe was a cool guy, his story's always inspired me. You don't run and leave an officer behind. A week or two later after I bid off Joe was killed. I would have been with him or in the cell.
I don't know if the news paper showed then, but a LT was cut almost to the bone, cheek to cheek one guard was cut across the wrist a fourth guard was bit up and down his arm. Whenever I took an inmate out by force, I always made sure I hit his eyes with mace. I stopped by his funeral home to see him before his funeral. His wife and kids were standing around his casket. That upset me. made me realize not fun and games, life and death.
Thomas Rudd CO111 1976
Worked with Joe on nights at ISP.
June 14, 2025
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