The Arizona prison Cimarron Unit deaths have triggered alarm across the state after a well-known inmate allegedly murdered three fellow prisoners last week. According to union leaders and prison reform advocates, major lapses in prison security and oversight played a key role in the tragedy.
The Arizona Department of Corrections confirmed that Ricky Wassenaar is the sole suspect in the April 4, 2025, incident at the Tucson facility. Wassenaar gained notoriety for his role in the infamous 2004 two-week-long hostage crisis.
“This guy is like Hannibal Lecter,” said Carlos Garcia, president of the Arizona Correctional Peace Officers Association. “He should have been isolated since 2004. He’s dangerous—and now three men are dead.”
Donna Hamm, Executive Director of Middle Ground Prison Reform, said Wassenaar had even confessed to killing a former cellmate last November. “In 40 years of advocacy, I’ve never received a call like that. He admitted it. That’s extremely rare,” Hamm told ABC15.
Wassenaar is accused of killing inmates Saul Alvarez, Thorne Harnage, and Donald Lashley within the Cimarron Unit. Alvarez had a murder conviction, while Harnage and Lashley were serving time for child abuse-related offenses.
Arizona prison Cimarron Unit deaths raise safety concerns
Garcia emphasized that neither Wassenaar nor the other two inmates should have been part of the general population. He also noted that Wassenaar had explicitly warned officials against being housed with others.
“They played chicken with the wrong guy,” Garcia said. “And now three lives are gone.”
The department revealed that preliminary findings indicate Wassenaar acted with intent. Despite his history, officials downgraded his security level from “maximum security” to “close custody” in December 2024, a decision Garcia strongly criticized.
Arizona prison Cimarron Unit deaths highlight systemic issues
In 2004, Wassenaar was at the center of the longest hostage standoff in U.S. prison history, where he and another inmate overpowered guards and assaulted one of them. As part of negotiations, he was briefly transferred to Wisconsin before returning to Arizona custody.
Ryan Thornell, Director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry, addressed the incident:
“What happened at the Cimarron Unit was a devastating event. We are working hard to improve safety and prevent such tragedies.”
The Arizona prison Cimarron Unit deaths are now under intense scrutiny, as both officials and the public demand answers and accountability.
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Source: www.inquisitr.com
