{"id":1059,"date":"2026-05-28T14:33:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T14:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=1059"},"modified":"2026-05-28T14:33:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T14:33:50","slug":"13-crime-files-new-documents-shed-light-on-need-for-prison-oversight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=1059","title":{"rendered":"13 CRIME FILES: New documents shed light on need for prison oversight"},"content":{"rendered":"
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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – An Arizona Senate Bill signed into law by Governor Katie Hobbs is said to provide more oversight for the prison system, but funding has yet to be allocated to start implementation.<\/p>\n

Read more Rep. Ciscomani addresses issues and concerns of southern Arizonans<\/a><\/p>\n

Arizona\u2019s prison system continues to see incidents that tie back to the lack of oversight.<\/p>\n

April 4th, 2025, Ricky Wassenaar, an inmate at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Tucson confessed to killing three fellow inmates.<\/p>\n

Because specifics were not released, 13 News put in a public records request three days later, asking for \u201cany photos, videos and documents related to the deadly incidents involving inmate Ricky Wassenaar including surveillance video of the incidents themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than a year later, 13 News just received some of those documents.<\/p>\n

They detail how Wassenaar brutally murdered the three inmates, one with head trauma and a ligature around his neck, and two with blunt force trauma to their heads after being hit with a bag that contained a large rock.<\/p>\n

But perhaps one of the most alarming pieces of this report was Wassenaar\u2019s first victim, his cellmate, was not found until quite some time after he was killed.<\/p>\n

The report says, \u201cbased on the condition of the body and the presence of rigor mortis, it appears he was killed several hours earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n

So the question is–could two other deaths have been prevented, had an officer seen Wassenaar\u2019s first victim?<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s really upsetting to hear that someone was killed and unnoticed for that period of time. I mean, I think that that speaks to a few things,\u201d says Estrella Lopez, Senior State Policy Manager at Justice Action Network. \u201cOne of the issues that we know that, quite frankly, carceral settings around the country are facing is staffing shortages. It\u2019s…they\u2019re having difficulties with staffing. It\u2019s a difficult job, no matter what. But when there is violence, when there\u2019s instability, when conditions in the prison deteriorate, it\u2019s not only bad for the inmates, obviously it is. It\u2019s also bad for correctional officers who don\u2019t want to work in that environment. They may choose to go seek other employment. When that happens, the staffing shortages get worse, the conditions get worse, and the prison starts on kind of a death spiral.\u201d <\/p>\n

Read more Woman convicted of scalding her 5-year-old stepdaughter to death in 1978<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been no secret the Arizona Department of Corrections is battling staffing shortages, among other issues.<\/p>\n

So when Governor Katie Hobbs passed SB1507 last year, the hope was that with funding, the office created to monitor prison conditions, ensure compliance, and investigate complaints, would be able to carry out its intended mission. But that has not been the case.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I think that there\u2019s a great deal of frustration. You know, this is the second year in a row that the legislation has, the legislators rather have made it clear that this is a priority, right? The bill passed last year, creating the oversight office. Unfortunately, it didn\u2019t get into the budget. And this year, nearly unanimously, bills went through their respective chambers saying we need to put money behind this office. It can\u2019t just be on paper alone. It has to be able to exist in the world. And throughout this process, we\u2019ve heard from, you know, legislators who are worried about how resources are being allocated. This is a department that has $1.6 billion as its budget. To not have a $1.5 million for oversight is just, it\u2019s a bad allocation of resources. It\u2019s not good stewardship of money,\u201d says Lopez.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s next?<\/p>\n

Advocates like Lopez want to see the original commitment reflected in the next state budget.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe state keeps paying for lawsuits. Any single lawsuit can far exceed what this office would cost. The state is…the prison\u2019s health care system is going into federal receivership. That is going to cost a lot of money. So while the state keeps saying, you know, we can\u2019t afford this, I would argue the state can\u2019t afford not to do this. And it can be easy for that to get lost when there are so many budget priorities. I understand that. But this is just a smart investment that will save Arizona money in the long term. And it\u2019s morally the right thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

=====================================================<\/p>\n

Are you streaming 13 News?<\/p>\n

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Be sure to download the free Tucson Now app which you can find on Apple and Google.<\/p>\n

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Read more Woman on e-scooter dies after being hit by vehicle near Phoenix gas station<\/a><\/p>\n

You can submit your breaking news or weather images here.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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