Arizona Senate Republicans are demanding accountability from Governor Katie Hobbs and state corrections officials after a dramatic rise in inmate homicides. The latest incident involves the death of Indalecio Garcia, who died Monday at Abrazo West Campus hospital in Goodyear. Garcia had been incarcerated at Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis and was serving time for aggravated assault and child molestation.
If Garcia’s death is confirmed to be a homicide, it would mark the 11th inmate killing in Arizona correctional facilities during fiscal year 2025. This represents a sharp increase from previous years, when inmate homicides averaged just two per year over a four-year span.
State Senate Republicans are pressing the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ACDRR) and Governor Hobbs for answers. Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman Kevin Payne sent a formal inquiry to ACDRR Director Ryan Thornell on June 4, requesting detailed information about the violent incidents. Thornell failed to respond by the June 25 deadline.
“The longer we wait, the longer it takes to get to the bottom of the gaps in security at state prisons,” Payne stated. He also revealed that corrections officers were recently assaulted at another facility in Florence. “It’s only a matter of time before one of our correctional officers is killed,” he warned.
Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp noted that prison staff and officers face serious threats on a daily basis. She called for increased oversight of ACDRR and urged Governor Hobbs to act. Senate Majority Whip Crank Carroll said the prison system is failing in one of the government’s core responsibilities: ensuring the safety of those paying their debts to society.
“One murder is too many, let alone 11,” Carroll said. “This should tell us Arizona is not doing something right.”
Senator Vince Leach added that his constituents are concerned about the safety of both inmates and corrections staff. “Public safety and ensuring Arizona’s prisons are operating in a responsible manner is 100% a bipartisan issue, and it is something that must be taken seriously by Gov. Hobbs,” Leach stated.
ACDRR said in a brief statement that Garcia’s death remains under investigation and declined to offer further comment.
