After several months, he committed an armed robbery and was sentenced to 5 years in the penitentiary, but again resumed his "high power" position, during which he killed one and permanently crippled three others who attempted to flee. Back at the prison farm, he resumed his position and shot another prisoner attempting to escape and was paroled again as a reward. About 18 months later, he was indicted for shooting a woman in the back with a shotgun but was never tried for attempted murder. After shooting a prisoner who tried to escape, his sentence was reduced to 9 years but he was almost immediately released on parole. BiographyĪt the age of 18, he was convicted with the murder and robbery of an elderly man, and was sentenced to 15 years in Arkansas State Penitentiary, farm labor rather than prison at Tucker Prison Farm, he was given the duty of "high power", shooting fellow inmates in the belly button if they attempted to flee from the fields. He was released in April 1948 and moved in with a relative in Gary, Indiana, never to be convicted of a crime again. He was eventually sent to McNeil Island Penitentiary where he was again recognized and suffered much abuse from his fellow inmates, despite being heavily watched over by the prison staff. In 1937, it was Persful who attempted to cut off his hands in sheer desperation of his experiences at Alcatraz and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was transferred to Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary a year later but was recognized and continued to be tortured by his inmates because of his past offenses. Two inmates recognized him from Arkansas and word spread of his killing of fellow inmates and he began being severely abused. In December 1934, Persful was convicted for kidnapping and robbery in Paragould, Arkansas and sentenced to 20 years, after which he was transferred to United States Penitentiary, Atlanta.
He killed and disabled many prisoners during his time at the Arkansas Penitentiary, punctuated by periods of parole as a reward for his prison protection, and then re-offending and being sent back to resume his role. He was given the task of shooting fellow inmates with a shotgun if they attempted to escape. Convicted with the murder and robbery of an elderly man at the age of 18, he was sentenced to 15 years in Arkansas State Penitentiary, but unlike a standard prison, it involved farm labour. He was considered one of the most dangerous criminals of his era by the authorities. Rufe Persful (– May 16, 1991) was an American criminal, convicted for murder, kidnapping and robbery.