Officer Rodney Welch suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after responding to a fight between two inmates at the Algoa Correctional Center.

Officer Welch was assaulted while trying to break up the two inmates and received several bruises to his face and chest. After the inmates were secured, Officer Welch began to have chest pains and collapsed. He was transported to a local hospital where he died approximately one hour later.

Officer Welch was retired from the U.S. Army. He had been employed with the Missouri Department of Corrections for four years and he is survived by his wife and two children. Interred: Sunset Memorial Estates.