On the morning of September 25, 1973, Earl F. DeMarse, a corrections officer at the Marquette Branch Prison, reported for duty as usual. Fifteen minutes into the shift, DeMarse came from his station in the auditorium to Central Control bleeding profusely from multiple stab wounds. He died before he made it to the hospital. DeMarse was 55 years old. DeMarse's killer, inmate Richard Goodard, was given a mandatory life sentence in 1974. He was transferred to the State Prison of Southern Michigan and was there only a short time when he stabbed and injured another officer. DeMarse was the first corrections officer killed in the line of duty in the state of Michigan. The Earl F. DeMarse Corrections Training Academy in Lansing was named after him to honor his 26 years of dedicated work as a Michigan corrections officer. After DeMarse's death, many officers wanted to go out on strike for they were shorthanded and under very difficult working conditions.
DeMarse had been employed at the prison since Feb. 3, 1947. He was officer in charge of activities in the prison auditorium.
He resided at 510 Summit St. in Marquette.
Investigation of the death is headed by Det. Sgt. John Seppanen of Negaunee state police post.
DeMarse was born Oct. 9, 1918, in Marquette, and had been a life-long resident.
He was a member of St. Michael's Church, and he was a veteran of World War II.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret; a daughter, Mrs. Terry (Cheryl) Pitcher, Traverse City; a son, Ronald, of Marquette; two brothers, Hugh and Douglas, both of Marquette; and a granddaughter, Heidi Pitcher.
The body was taken to Fassbender Funeral Home.
Return to Earl's Family
Earl DeMarse - Marquette Branch Prison
September 25, 1973: On this date, 55-year-old Earl DeMarse became the first corrections officer to be murdered at a Michigan institution. DeMarse, who had been an employee with the department for 26 years, was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital after being stabbed while he worked in the auditorium at Marquette Branch Prison.
An inmate was later convicted in DeMarse's death and is serving a life sentence. This prisoner had been serving for felonious assault, arson, car theft and burglary. The department named its training academy after DeMarse.
DeMarse had been employed at the prison since Feb. 3, 1947. He was officer in charge of activities in the prison auditorium.
He resided at 510 Summit St. in Marquette.
Investigation of the death is headed by Det. Sgt. John Seppanen of Negaunee state police post.
DeMarse was born Oct. 9, 1918, in Marquette, and had been a life-long resident.
He was a member of St. Michael's Church, and he was a veteran of World War II.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret; a daughter, Mrs. Terry (Cheryl) Pitcher, Traverse City; a son, Ronald, of Marquette; two brothers, Hugh and Douglas, both of Marquette; and a granddaughter, Heidi Pitcher.
The body was taken to Fassbender Funeral Home.
Return to Earl's Family
Earl DeMarse - Marquette Branch Prison
September 25, 1973: On this date, 55-year-old Earl DeMarse became the first corrections officer to be murdered at a Michigan institution. DeMarse, who had been an employee with the department for 26 years, was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital after being stabbed while he worked in the auditorium at Marquette Branch Prison.
An inmate was later convicted in DeMarse's death and is serving a life sentence. This prisoner had been serving for felonious assault, arson, car theft and burglary. The department named its training academy after DeMarse.
On the morning of September 25, 1973, Earl F. DeMarse, a corrections officer at the Marquette Branch Prison, reported for duty as usual. Fifteen minutes into the shift, DeMarse came from his station in the auditorium to Central Control bleeding profusely from multiple stab wounds. He died before he made it to the hospital. DeMarse was 55 years old. DeMarse's killer, inmate Richard Goodard, was given a mandatory life sentence in 1974. He was transferred to the State Prison of Southern Michigan and was there only a short time when he stabbed and injured another officer. DeMarse was the first corrections officer killed in the line of duty in the state of Michigan. The Earl F. DeMarse Corrections Training Academy in Lansing was named after him to honor his 26 years of dedicated work as a Michigan corrections officer. After DeMarse's death, many officers wanted to go out on strike for they were shorthanded and under very difficult working conditions.
DeMarse had been employed at the prison since Feb. 3, 1947. He was officer in charge of activities in the prison auditorium.
He resided at 510 Summit St. in Marquette.
Investigation of the death is headed by Det. Sgt. John Seppanen of Negaunee state police post.
DeMarse was born Oct. 9, 1918, in Marquette, and had been a life-long resident.
He was a member of St. Michael's Church, and he was a veteran of World War II.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret; a daughter, Mrs. Terry (Cheryl) Pitcher, Traverse City; a son, Ronald, of Marquette; two brothers, Hugh and Douglas, both of Marquette; and a granddaughter, Heidi Pitcher.
The body was taken to Fassbender Funeral Home.
Return to Earl's Family
Earl DeMarse - Marquette Branch Prison
September 25, 1973: On this date, 55-year-old Earl DeMarse became the first corrections officer to be murdered at a Michigan institution. DeMarse, who had been an employee with the department for 26 years, was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital after being stabbed while he worked in the auditorium at Marquette Branch Prison.
An inmate was later convicted in DeMarse's death and is serving a life sentence. This prisoner had been serving for felonious assault, arson, car theft and burglary. The department named its training academy after DeMarse.
DeMarse had been employed at the prison since Feb. 3, 1947. He was officer in charge of activities in the prison auditorium.
He resided at 510 Summit St. in Marquette.
Investigation of the death is headed by Det. Sgt. John Seppanen of Negaunee state police post.
DeMarse was born Oct. 9, 1918, in Marquette, and had been a life-long resident.
He was a member of St. Michael's Church, and he was a veteran of World War II.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret; a daughter, Mrs. Terry (Cheryl) Pitcher, Traverse City; a son, Ronald, of Marquette; two brothers, Hugh and Douglas, both of Marquette; and a granddaughter, Heidi Pitcher.
The body was taken to Fassbender Funeral Home.
Return to Earl's Family
Earl DeMarse - Marquette Branch Prison
September 25, 1973: On this date, 55-year-old Earl DeMarse became the first corrections officer to be murdered at a Michigan institution. DeMarse, who had been an employee with the department for 26 years, was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital after being stabbed while he worked in the auditorium at Marquette Branch Prison.
An inmate was later convicted in DeMarse's death and is serving a life sentence. This prisoner had been serving for felonious assault, arson, car theft and burglary. The department named its training academy after DeMarse.
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