Arizona lawmakers pressed Arizona Department of Corrections Director Ryan Thornell during a hearing of the Legislature’s Joint Ad Hoc Study Committee on Correctional Practices and Facility Safety, focusing on inmate homicides, custody decisions, staffing, and day-to-day security inside state prisons. You can view the full public testimony here. Thornell told lawmakers that nine prisoner-on-prisoner homicides have occurred in Arizona prisons since January 2025.

Thornell stated that one of the most troubling cases involved inmate Ricky Wassenaar, who was transferred from maximum custody to a closed-custody unit prior to a series of killings. In Arizona, “closed custody” prison units are less secure than “maximum custody.”

Thornell tried to defend the decision, stating that Wassenaar “wasn’t moved into a medium custody environment; he was moved into a closed custody, a very structured environment.”

Committee members challenged that decision. Rep. Quang Nguyen (R-1) inquired why Wassenaar had not remained under stricter conditions, stating that Wassenaar’s history warranted the most restrictive placement available. Several former corrections officials criticized the department’s leadership.

A retired prison warden testified that “the lack of leadership is evident in almost every decision made by this administration.”

A retired deputy warden added, “We’re talking about people’s lives.”

Donna Leone Hamm, Director of Middle Ground Prison Reform, offered a damning rebuke of the decision. She said Wassenaar had contacted her organization multiple times after the killings, describing in detail how he obtained and kept weapons. She recalled that Wassenaar said he’d found a knife buried in a prison yard, and that he had retrieved a rock that he’d cleaned and kept in his cell, touting that it “would make a potent weapon.” Hamm said that Wassenaar’s admissions indicated lapses in search and security procedures, as the items had remained undetected for months.

Hamm also described an earlier warning. She recounted how Wassenaar had personally called her and confessed to murdering his 81-year-old cellmate, Joseph DeSisto. She had subsequently warned the Director in writing about Wassenaar’s threats, including that he’d told her that he would harm or kill anyone placed in his cell. Hamm alleges that those warnings were ignored.

In April 2025, Wassenaar murdered three men, one of whom had been placed as his cellmate despite his prior threats.

“Their blood is on the Director’s hands,” she said.

Turning to prisoner classification policy, Hamm testified that overrides from maximum custody to close custody have created serious safety risks for inmates whose assessment scores would otherwise require higher security. She argued that the department is operating against its core mission of ensuring public safety for staff and inmates, as well as the protection of constitutional rights. She pronounced that all other departmental functions must take a back seat until its core functions are performed effectively.

Hamm also highlighted staffing and culture issues, noting that the department recently reported 963 staff vacancies.

“There is no plausible way that this many vacancies cannot have an impact on operations,” she said. “Prisoners and staff do not feel safe. This must be addressed with more than glib words and artful marketing slogans.” She added that staff retention is tied to culture: “It isn’t just about the money. It is about the culture of the department so that staff feel safe, comfortable, respected, and listened to.”

Hamm also questioned elements of the department’s newly announced reforms, including replacing metal padlocks with plastic versions and focusing contraband controls on inmate visitors. She said weaker locks could trigger more theft-related conflict among inmates and urged the department to address all contraband vectors, including staff and contractors, not just those visiting inmates.

The committee is expected to continue its inquiry in the coming weeks, reviewing classification overrides, staffing levels, facility-safety practices, and potential measures to strengthen independent oversight. Representative Nguyen, who co-chaired the committee, confirmed with the Arizona Globe that the committee will produce a written report before it determines next steps.