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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The infamous inmate accused of killing three other inmates at the state prison in Tucson last year will face the death penalty.
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The Pinal County Attorney’s Office said the crime meets the necessary factors to impose the death penalty under Arizona law.
“I believe the death penalty is the appropriate sentence given the defendant’s extensive history of violence,” said County Attorney Brad Miller
Ricky Wassenaar is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and aggravated assault for the murder of Saul Alvarez, Thorne Harnage, and Donald Lashley.
Wassenaar, who was already serving 16 life sentences, admitted to killing the inmates at the Arizona State Prison Cimmaron Unit in Tucson on Friday, April 4, 2025.
He said he “did society a favor,” and wished he could have killed more.
Alvarez was serving a sentence for a Maricopa County murder, Harnage was convicted in Pima County of sexual conduct with a minor, and Lashley was serving a sentence for a Pima County child molestation case.
At the time of the murders, Wassenaar was already serving 16 life sentences for his role in a prison standoff in Arizona years ago.
Wassenaar and Steven Coy were convicted of taking two guards, one man and one woman, hostage for 15 days at the Arizona State Prison Lewis Complex in Buckeye in 2004. Lois Fraley, one of those guards, said she was raped several times.
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Wassenaar allegedly used a kitchen guard’s uniform to trick another guard into letting him into a prison watchtower. He got the uniform by overpowering an officer with a handmade weapon.
The ensuing stand-off was one of the longest prison hostage situations in U.S. history.
Wassenaar and Coy both had violent backgrounds, including crimes in the Tucson area, before the standoff.
Wassenaar was already serving a sentence for armed robbery and assault before the standoff. Coy was sentenced to life in prison in 1993 for kidnapping, sexual assault, sexual abuse and aggravated assault following a robbery in which he raped a woman. He had a long criminal record and has been in and out of prison since 1984.
Coy was given seven life sentences for his role in the hostage standoff.
According to ADOC records, Wassenaar was moved to a prison in Florence following the incident. Coy happens to be currently in a state prison in Florence.
The case is still an active prosecution.
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