WCSO honors Jailer A. Holly Koerper who was killed 50 years ago today

It’s been 50 years since the death of Warren County Jailer A.”Holly” Koerper. A ceremony was held at the Warren County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday where Koerper’s picture will be displayed.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace, who was a high school student when Koerper died, spoke at the event before honoring the fallen deputy.

In the early morning hours of July 6, 1974, Koerper was stabbed over 20 times by a trustee named Arthur Lee Stevenson. Stevenson then took the keys from Koerper’s pants pockets and ransacked the locked cabinet containing the prisoners’ personal belongings. Stevenson locked the door between the other inmates and the telephone/radio room. He then unlocked the female cell and escaped with his girlfriend. They were both apprehended a short time later.

Stevenson was eventually sentenced to death but later commuted to life in prison. In 2010, he was granted parole but found himself back in prison just 14 months later after pulling a knife on his then-girlfriend. He remains in prison today.

Jailer Koerper was 72 years old when he was killed. He never knew that early morning would be his last shift.