Prisoner Serving 16 Life Sentences Kills Three Inmates in Single Day Inside Arizona Prison
A prisoner already serving 16 life sentences has been charged with murdering three fellow inmates in a single day inside a high-security prison in the US state of Arizona.
Ricky Wassenaar, who has spent more than two decades behind bars for his role in one of the longest prison hostage standoffs in US history, carried out the killings on 4 April at Arizona State Prison near Tucson. All three victims were inmates convicted of serious sexual offences against children.
Three Inmates Killed in Separate Attacks
US authorities say Wassenaar first strangled his cellmate, Saul Alvarez, inside their shared cell. He then walked onto the prison yard carrying a large rock inside a fishnet laundry bag, which he used as a weapon to attack prisoners waiting to enter the breakfast hall.
Two men — Thorne Harnage and Donald Lashley — were killed in the yard attack. Officials confirmed that all three victims were serving sentences for child sex offences, including two men jailed for sexual conduct with a minor and a third who had raped and murdered a 15-year-old girl.
No Remorse Shown
In the aftermath of the killings, Wassenaar reportedly phoned the Arizona Mirror to discuss what he had done, telling the outlet he had “no regrets”.
“The taxpayers no longer have to pay for them,” he is quoted as saying. “I’m paying my debt to society.”
Despite the public comments, Wassenaar has entered a not guilty plea in court to the new charges.
Notorious Past: 2004 Prison Siege
Wassenaar is already one of Arizona’s most notorious inmates. In 2004, he and another prisoner took two guards hostage during a violent standoff at a different state prison, holding them for 15 days in one of the longest prison hostage situations in US history.
He was later convicted and handed 16 life sentences for his role in the siege.
Facing New Murder Charges and Possible Death Penalty
Following the April 4 attacks, Wassenaar has now been charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Prosecutors are reportedly considering seeking the death penalty, given the severity of the case and his violent history