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.