Lieutenant Owen Davenport

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

Most Recent Reflection

View all 8 Reflections

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

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