Arizona prisoner serving 16 life sentences accused of killing 3 fellow inmates
A prisoner in Arizona, who is serving 16 life sentences, is facing accusations of killing three other inmates at a state prison in Tucson. According to officials, Ricky Wassenaar allegedly killed Saul Alvarez, Thorne Harnage, and Donald Lashley during an altercation at the Arizona State Prison Cimarron Unit. Wassenaar is reported to be the sole suspect in the incident and is said to have acted with the “intent to harm.” The victims were serving time for various crimes, including murder, sexual conduct with a minor, and child molestation. Wassenaar had a criminal history prior to this incident, including involvement in a prison standoff in 2004 where he and another individual took two guards hostage for 15 days at the Lewis Prison Complex in Buckeye, Arizona. Following the inmate deaths, Wassenaar has been transferred to a prison in Florence while the incident remains under investigation. The Arizona Department of Corrections has initiated a criminal investigation, and visitations at the prison were canceled for the day following the violent altercation.
