Key Points:

• A triple homicide at a state prison sparks alarm in legislature

• Two lawmakers launched independent inquiries into the incident

• Concern may manifest into a bill to create corrections oversight office

A triple murder at a state prison in Tucson in April prompted a probe from two lawmakers and reinvigorated the conversation around a proposal for an independent oversight body for the Arizona Department of Corrections. 

On April 4, Ricky Wassenaar, a man serving 16 consecutive life sentences, was named as the sole suspect in a triple homicide at Arizona State Prison Complex Tucson. Wassenaar was under close custody, a step down from the maximum security classification. 

In the aftermath, the department pledged greater security measures, with a response plan currently in the works with the governor’s office. 

But Rep. Quang Nguyen, chair of House Judiciary Committee and Sen. Kevin Payne, chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee, still had their concerns — prompting two letters to ADCRR director Ryan Thornell with questions, requests for information and documents on custody levels, staffing inmate discipline and Wassenaar’s prior behavior. 

As the two lawmakers sift through information and wait for further answers from the department, concerns regarding custody security levels and staffing persist and could manifest as an amendment to a bill creating an office to monitor and report on the Department of Corrections.

“We put people in prison to punish them for the crimes that they committed, but we shouldn’t be putting people in there so they can be killed,” Nguyen said. “That’s not how the correction system should work.” 

Nguyen asked for a copy of the department’s internal review or post-incident report, all protocols surrounding high-risk inmate monitoring and movement, a record of Wassenaar’s threatening behavior toward staff and other inmates, an explanation of each resolution and an overview of disciplinary procedures when an inmate harms another while in custody. 

Payne requested a timeline of events, any reports regarding Wassenaar’s desire to harm others, his security classification and prior criminal record. He also asked for a comprehensive list of policy changes made under Thornell, current staffing levels in the unit where the murder occurred, comparative staffing levels from two years prior and full staffing rosters before, during and after the incident. 

Nguyen and Payne met with Thornell in early May armed with questions. 

“There were a lot of answers, but we have not received the answers to the full question asked in that letter,” Nguyen said. 

Nguyen said his main question continues to be, “What about common sense? … Do you really want a guy that’s willing to go out and kill people with the general population?” 

In a statement, the department confirmed the meeting and said Thornell has already responded to Payne’s requests for information and plans to respond in writing to Nguyen. 

“The meetings went well, and Director Thornell shared transparent details around the topics and incidents they were interested in,” the statement read. 

Payne did not respond to requests for comments or for a copy of the department’s response. The Department of Corrections declined to share its response.  Public records requests at both the legislature and the department are pending. 

Nguyen said he is waiting for the written response from the department, with the potential to bring the issue up in a House or ad hoc committee if necessary.

“If I’m not getting the answers that I’m looking for then it’s better for me to call a public hearing,” Nguyen said. 

Beyond the department, Nguyen said he is also interested in insight from staff and is meeting with former corrections employees to gain further insight into policies on custody classifications and how it manifests on the ground. 

He stressed the need for a conversation on policy change to prevent a similar incident in the future, and he and Payne may have a way to do so this session.

Sen. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, sponsored Senate Bill 1507, which establishes the Independent Correctional Oversight Office and charges the office with monitoring conditions of confinement, investigating complaints, providing information on inmates rights and submitting annual reports to the legislature. 

“In light of the incident in Tucson a few weeks ago with the deaths of various inmates, I can tell you that more people are paying attention to this bill,” Bolick said. 

SB1507 is one of several attempts to create an independent body to oversee and report on the Department of Corrections, and, this session, it’s got momentum, with near-unanimous support in both chambers. 

“This is an independent body. It’s not going to be one that’s controlled by, you know, corrections. It’s not going to be controlled by the Legislature. It’s not going to be controlled by the executive. It is a pure independent oversight Advisory Committee.” 

Bolick said the bill, which includes a $1.5 million appropriation, will head to the floor for a final vote closer to the conclusion of the state budget. And she noted there will be an amendment on the floor to address concerns raised by the triple homicide. 

Overall, though, she noted the importance of the policy change. 

“At the end of the day, as a fiscal conservative, I like the idea that we will be saving money in the future,” Bolick said. “Not only that, but we’re making sure that those prisons are safer for not only our correction officers and staff who are there, our communities, and the people who are actually incarcerated.”