Inmate accused of killing 3 other prisoners, including child sex offenders, to face trial

A 63-year-old Arizona inmate already serving nearly 20 life sentences is set to stand trial in 2028 after he was accused of killing three fellow prisoners.

Ricky Wassenaar's trial is scheduled to begin on January 25 and is expected to run through March 27, according to court records cited by KVOA.

Online records with the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR) show Wassenaar was charged in the 2025 deaths of Saul Alvarez, Thorne Harnage, and Donald Lashley at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Tucson's Cimarron Unit (ASPC-Tucson).

Alvarez had been in custody since 2004 after he was sentenced for first-degree murder.

Thorne Harnage had been in custody in 2024 after he was sentenced for sexual conduct with a minor.

Lashley had been in custody since 2023 after he was sentenced for sexual conduct with a minor and molestation of a child.

ADCRR identified Wassenaar as the sole suspect after what it initially described as an altercation.

Wassenaar, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, is serving 16 consecutive life sentences for his role in a 2004 hostage standoff at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis.

In that case, Wassenaar and another inmate took control of a guard tower and held two correctional officers hostage for 15 days. In 2005, he was convicted on 19 counts, including kidnapping, dangerous or deadly assault by a prisoner, aggravated assault, sexual assault, and first-degree escape, ADCRR said.

The murders renewed scrutiny of Arizona's prison safety practices and Wassenaar's custody classification. Prison advocates have questioned how an inmate with his history was housed in a unit with other prisoners.

Prosecutors are seek the death penalty, according to reports.