Prisoner in Arizona serving 16 consecutive life sentences accused of killing three inmates

An Arizona jail inmate serving 16 life sentences for a 2004 standoff at a correction establishment is suspected of killing three inmates final week, officers mentioned.

Ricky Wassenaar is the only real suspect within the deaths of the three inmates, which occurred after “an altercation” on the jail in Tucson on Friday, the Arizona Division of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry mentioned.

The causes of the inmates’ deaths weren’t launched, and an investigation is ongoing, the state company, referred to as ADCRR, mentioned in an announcement.

“Preliminary experiences recommend that inmate Wassenaar acted with intent to hurt the three males,” the ADCRR mentioned.

The incident occurred on the Arizona State Jail Advanced Tucson’s Cimarron Unit, the company mentioned.

Wassenaar and one other inmate took two jail guards hostage in 2004 and held them captive in one of many longest jail standoffs in United States historical past.

He and Steven Coy used makeshift knives within the assault at Arizona State Jail Advanced-Lewis. The standoff lasted for 15 days, though one officer was launched after per week.

What led to Friday’s lethal incident at Arizona State Jail Advanced Tucson was not launched by the state corrections division.

The lifeless inmates had been recognized as Saul Alvarez, Thorne Harnage and Donald Lashley. They had been all being housed on the Tucson jail complicated, the ADCRR mentioned.

Alvarez was serving a sentence for a conviction of first-degree homicide; Harnage was convicted of sexual conduct with a minor; and Lashley was sentenced after being convicted of sexual conduct with a minor and molestation of a kid, the division mentioned.

Wassenaar in 2005 was sentenced to 16 consecutive life phrases following the jail standoff. He had been serving 28 years for armed theft and assault when he and Coy attacked the guards.

The division of corrections mentioned that there is no such thing as a ongoing risk following Friday’s lethal incident on the Tucson jail complicated.

The ADCRR’s Workplace of the Inspector Common launched an investigation, it mentioned.

“As that is an ongoing investigation, updates shall be supplied as they’re out there,” the corrections division mentioned.