The 1954 prison break that brought National Guard machine guns to Missouri cellblocks

Missouri’s Deadliest Prison Riot Sparked by Betrayal

The Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City looks peaceful today, but it holds the darkest chapter in American prison history.

On September 22, 1954, two inmates tricked a guard into their cell, stole his keys, and unleashed pure chaos. They wanted revenge on Walter Lee Donnell, a snitch in protective custody on Death Row.

Within hours, 2,500 inmates were free, buildings were burning, and sledgehammers were smashing through walls. Machine guns fired from rooftops as the 14-hour nightmare left four dead and millions in damage.

The basement where Donnell died still stands as a haunting reminder of that brutal night.

A Snitch’s Testimony Set the Stage for Bloody Revenge

Walter Lee Donnell made a big mistake in 1954. The 30-year-old St.

Louis robber turned on his crime partners, sending them to jail with his testimony.

Prison staff put him in protective custody on Death Row at Missouri State Penitentiary to keep him safe from angry inmates who saw him as a rat.

The prison was awful, with cells holding up to six men, rats running around, and terrible living conditions.

Other prisoners marked Donnell for death, quietly planning how to reach him despite the three heavy steel-barred gates guarding Death Row in B-Hall’s basement.

Two Teens Faked a Plumbing Emergency to Grab Guard Keys

At 6:00 PM on September 22, 1954, 19-year-old William DeLapp started his deadly plan.

From his third-floor cell in E-Hall’s solitary unit, DeLapp broke his sink and yelled about wet sheets from broken pipes. His trick worked.

Two guards, including Clarence Dietzel, walked straight into the trap, coming to check on the supposed plumbing problem. The moment they entered, DeLapp and his partner jumped them.

They beat one guard badly and took their keys, starting what would soon become America’s worst prison riot.

Freed Inmates Grabbed Sledgehammers and Spread Like Wildfire

DeLapp and his friend moved fast. They ran through E-Hall, unlocking doors and freeing other prisoners.

The stolen keys opened cell after cell as they moved through the cellblock. Dozens of inmates came out, then hundreds.

The freed prisoners ran to the machine shops, grabbing sledgehammers, pipes, and tools as weapons. The riot spread from building to building as inmates spread the word about killing the snitch.

Within minutes, hundreds of angry men ran loose through the prison.

A Murderous Mob Headed Straight for Death Row

The leaders knew exactly where to go. They led the growing crowd of angry inmates toward B-Hall, where Walter Lee Donnell stayed on Death Row.

They dragged Guard Clarence Dietzel along as their hostage while they pushed toward the basement area. The riot grew bigger by the minute, with nearly 2,500 of the prison’s 3,361 inmates breaking free from their cells.

What started with just two men turned into a massive uprising in less than an hour. The mob wanted one thing: to make Donnell pay for talking to the cops.

Sledgehammers Smashed Through Walls When Keys Failed

The angry mob reached Death Row and found three heavy steel-barred gates blocking their path. Guard Dietzel threw his keys behind the bars where inmates couldn’t reach them.

Angry but determined, the prisoners grabbed sledgehammers and started smashing through the walls instead. In the cell next to Donnell, James Creighton stuffed paper and trash into his lock so it couldn’t open.

The trick saved his life. Unable to get to Creighton, the mob turned all their rage toward Donnell.

They hammered through his cell wall, making a hole big enough to get through.

Inmates Beat Their Target Beyond Recognition

The mob showed no mercy once they reached Donnell. They beat the 30-year-old robber to death with sledgehammers right in his Death Row cell.

The attack was so brutal that his body was later hard to identify.

The murder gave the angry inmates exactly what they wanted: revenge against the man they saw as a traitor. The protective custody that should have kept Donnell safe failed against the determined mob.

His bloody death fulfilled the main goal of the riot, but the violence was far from over.

Fires Turned the Prison Complex Into an Inferno

With Donnell dead, the rioters spread throughout the prison, starting fires everywhere they went. Four main buildings soon burned out of control as inmates continued their rampage.

Hundreds of prisoners threw bricks and concrete chunks at the deputy warden’s office. The license plate factory, clothing workshop, shoe factory, and other buildings caught fire.

Nearly 2,500 men ran free inside the walls, destroying everything they could find. What started as a targeted killing had turned into a full-blown riot that would last through the night.

Hundreds of Officers Raced to Surround the Prison

Missouri Highway Patrol troopers rushed to Jefferson City from all over the state. By midnight, hundreds of officers formed a ring around the prison walls.

The response team grew as 100 St. Louis police officers joined in, along with Kansas City police, National Guard troops, and local cops.

They followed emergency plans created after other prison riots, taking positions around the complex.

Armed troopers climbed to the top of the high limestone walls and onto rooftops, ready to stop escapes and take back control of the burning prison.

Gunfire From the Walls Drove Inmates Back

Troopers fired machine guns from their positions on the walls, forcing inmates to run from open areas in the prison yard. Hundreds of prisoners ran for cover as bullets came down.

Three inmates died from gunshot wounds during these attempts to regain control. Another 19 prisoners got hit but lived through the gunfire.

Machine gun fire echoed through Jefferson City all night as law enforcement fought to contain the riot. The battle went on for hours as officers tried to push the inmates back into secure areas.

Troopers Stormed the Last Holdout at Dawn

At 7:00 AM on September 23, 245 troopers gathered for the final push to end the riot. A special team of 18 troopers led the charge into B and C Hall, where about 400 inmates still refused to surrender.

The four-story white stone complex was the last building still under inmate control. During the final clearing operation, officers shot and killed one more inmate who wouldn’t give up.

After 14 brutal hours, the bloodiest prison riot in American history finally ended. Exhausted officers rounded up the last of the rioters and began counting the cost.

The Riot’s Legacy Changed Missouri’s Prison System

The final tally showed four inmates dead, 34 wounded, and four guards with serious injuries. The riot left behind $5 million in damage, with burned-out buildings that remained visible for ten years afterward.

Seven inmates got convicted for murdering Walter Lee Donnell. Rollie Laster, one of the killers, first got a death sentence but later had it reduced.

Governor Donnelly ordered a massive search that turned up hundreds of homemade weapons hidden throughout the prison.

The riot forced Missouri to face the terrible conditions in its prisons, leading to the construction of an entirely new prison system in the years that followed.

Visiting Missouri State Penitentiary

You can tour Missouri State Penitentiary at 115 Lafayette Street in Jefferson City from March through November.

The 2-hour history tours cost $30 and cover the brutal 1954 riot, including where it started in E-Hall and the murder sites in B and C Halls. Kids must be at least 10 years old for all tours.

Ghost tours are also available. The Missouri State Penitentiary Museum costs $2 or comes free with your tour ticket.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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