Senate Public Safety Committee Chair Responds to Inmate Murders with Probe into Department of Corrections Operations
- Arizona Senate Republicans
- Apr 21
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 21, 2025
Senate Public Safety Committee Chair Responds to Inmate Murders with Probe into Department of Corrections Operations
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman Kevin Payne is launching a probe of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, & Reentry (ADCRR) in response to the murders of three inmates at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Tucson earlier this month.
Back on April 4, officials with ADCRR reported Ricky Wassenaar, an Arizona inmate currently serving 16 life sentences, allegedly murdered three other inmates- Saul Alvarez, Thorne Harnage, and Donald Lashley- after an "altercation" inside the prison. Wassenaar has an extensive history of violence, including his role in a hostage crisis at the Lewis Prison Complex that lasted for two weeks back in 2004.
Chairman Payne sent a letter today to ADCRR Director Ryan Thornell requesting a timeline of events, reports, policy changes, staffing levels, staffing rosters, and other pertinent information surrounding the case and Wassenaar's criminal history, be provided to the Senate by May 1 for review. These details will be used in determining next steps to ensure a similar situation never occurs again within the State of Arizona.
"What transpired within this prison is inexcusable and incredibly troubling. I fear for the lives of the correctional officers and staff who are reporting to duty every day and risking their safety in a facility that has proven it cannot prevent dangerous criminals from inflicting violence. Director Thornell has some explaining to do, and the more time that passes by before we can determine the missteps that lead to these murders, the longer our law enforcement will be in danger of losing their own lives at the hands of inmates. My prayers go out to the families of the individuals who were murdered. The system failed them. We must take action now to prevent the next crisis from unfolding. I will keep the public updated on the Director's response and our next course of action."
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus
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