MDOC Honor Guard

08/27/2026

August 27, 1931: In a escape attempt turned tragedy, Dr. A. W. Hornbogen was shot and killed on this date at the Marquette Branch Prison. Four inmates armed with guns and am******on that had been smuggled into the prison tried to shoot their way out of the facility, killing Hornbogen and an inmate nurse in the process.

Hornbogen was temporarily filling in as a prison physician while the regular doctor was on vacation. A standoff ensued when the inmates discovered that the prison was surrounded by officers and guards. Rather than run the risk of being recaptured, the inmates killed themselves.

08/23/2026

Love being able to work with this great group of ladies!

07/11/2026

MDOC Honor Guard leading the 100th Anniversary for the Traverse City Cherry Festival Parade and presenting the Colors during a flyover by the US Coast Guard.

Celebrate one of Northern Michigan's favorite traditions with live ...

06/14/2026

Correctional Peace Officers Foundation (CPOF) Project 2000 ###VII was held in Salt Lake City, Utah June 11, 2026 - June 14, 2026.

Over the course of four days, Honor Guard teams from across the nation come together and are led by the National Honor Guard team to honor Correctional Professionals who lost their lives in line-of-duty deaths. A special recognition ceremony was also held to honor correctional professionals who survived inmate assaults and those who demonstrated bravery above and beyond the call of duty. Michigan recognized two individuals.

Four members from the MDOC Honor Guard team traveled to Project 2000 ###VII to represent Michigan and performed in the memorial ceremony and other various events. The ceremony can be viewed here:

https://vimeo.com/1191668121

06/04/2026

The MDOC Honor Guard presented colors at the graduation for 27 officers who completed 8 weeks of training at the Northern Region Training Academy on June 3, 2026. Congratulations to all of you. We wish each of you a safe, rewarding, and lasting career with the MDOC!

05/31/2026

5/30/2026 MDOC Honor Guard participated in the Sault Ste. Marie Memorial Day parade!

05/17/2026

May 17, 1998: Doris Taylor, who worked as a food service supervisor at the Thumb Correctional Facility, was stabbed to death by an inmate on this date. Taylor had worked at the prison for 11 years and had announced earlier that she planned to retire at the end of the year.

The inmate, a Level II prisoner with no previous assaultive misconducts or management problems, apparently stabbed Taylor and then tried to commit su***de by slashing his throat when corrections officers intervened. The inmate had worked with Taylor for four years and speculation suggests that he had a hard time coping with her decision to retire. He was found guilty in Taylor's murder and is serving a life sentence.

05/15/2026

On May 15, 2026 four members of the Michigan Department of Corrections Honor Guard presented colors at the 2026 Upper Peninsula Peace Officers Memorial Service.

04/28/2026

April 28, 1960: On this date, Bernard Fancher, an assistant athletic director at the State Prison of Southern Michigan, was stabbed to death by a prisoner who was described as having a long grudge against him. According to witnesses, Fancher was sitting at his desk when a prisoner approached him swinging a baseball bat. Fancher and another employee ran from the office, but Fancher fell over a wheelbarrow. The prisoner immediately fell upon Fancher and stabbed him 13 times.

Fancher was pronounced dead at the scene. Earlier in the year Fancher fired the prisoner from his cleanup job at the gymnasium for being loud and abusive.

04/12/2026

MDOC Honor Guard is proud to welcome 5 new members to the team!

Kandi Wright - (CPC -URF/NCF/KCF)
Cherry Taylor - (HRD-GOTC)
Candace Johnson - (Corporal - WHV/SAI)
Ronald Flaquel - (CO/MCF)
Brian Cummings - (CO/SRF)