On October 19, 2026, we mark 50 years since Parole Officer Paul J. Weber of the Kansas Department of Corrections lost his life in the line of duty. He was 26 years old and had served his department for three years.

On October 19, 1976, Officer Weber and another parole officer responded to a mother’s request for assistance after she asked her son, a parolee, to leave her Kansas City home. During the visit, the man requested permission to retrieve his belongings. He then took a knife from the kitchen and fatally stabbed Officer Weber, who was unarmed.

The man was subsequently convicted of assault on a law enforcement officer and first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Officer Weber was survived by his wife, daughter, mother, three brothers and five sisters. Behind those relationships was a young man whose commitment to others began long before his career in corrections.

The oldest of nine children, Paul helped shoulder the responsibilities of a large family. In a remembrance shared on the Officer Down Memorial Page, his younger brother David described how Paul had been serving his family long before he served his community, taking on responsibilities at an age when many young people were still finding their own way.

His siblings’ memories reveal the brother behind the badge: someone they looked up to, someone they loved and someone whose absence continued to be felt decades later. His sister Christy recalled Thanksgiving football games in Hays, Kansas. His sister Therese remembered him as her hero.

A friend, Teresa, described Paul as someone who believed in second chances and helped others through his actions. Years after his death, she continued to draw guidance from the example he set.

Paul’s mother, Marie Alma “Gram” Weber, also carried his memory forward. Following his death, she became actively involved in the corrections field. Her obituary recognized her dedication to family, community and Hayden Catholic High School, where all nine of her children attended. It also identified a scholarship at the school established in Paul’s memory—another way his name continued to be connected with opportunity and care for others.

Fifty years after his death, Officer Weber’s story reminds us that the risks of correctional service extend beyond institution walls. Parole officers serve in homes and communities, often entering uncertain situations as they support supervision, accountability and public safety.

At the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation, we honor Paul’s service and remember the family whose lives were forever changed. His three years with the Kansas Department of Corrections were only one part of a life that mattered deeply to those who knew him.

We remember Parole Officer Paul J. Weber—a husband, father, son, brother, friend and correctional professional.

End of Watch: October 19, 1976
Always remembered. Forever honored.

Sources: Officer Down Memorial Page; Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial; obituary and family remembrances for Marie Alma Weber.