5 Arizona prison inmates died by suicide in the past month. Here's what we know

Jose R. Gonzalez, Arizona Republic
Updated ·6 min read
22

There were five prison inmate suicides in Arizona in a recent 23-day period.

The deaths occurred between Dec. 16 and Jan. 8, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry. Even as the Department points to policies and procedures it has in place to provide inmates with mental health care and treatment, advocates maintain this spate of suicides reflects a broken system. Meanwhile, Gov. Katie Hobbs' office is touting changes it contends will help remedy mental health issues in the state's prisons.

Details on recent, historical inmate deaths

All five inmates were found unresponsive in their housing units before being pronounced dead at a hospital, according to information from the Department.

The suicides took place at three state-run prisons and one privately-run prison — two of the suicides were at the same state-run prison. All but one of the inmates who died by suicide were serving sentences for violent offenses. One of the inmates who died by suicide was at a women's prison, the other four were at men’s prisons.

According to information released by the Department, these are the five people who died by suicide this past month while in custody:

  • Rene Valenzuela, 54, died Dec. 16. Valenzuela was incarcerated at the state-run Eyman complex in Florence. Valenzuela was sentenced in 2006 out of Pima County for child or vulnerable adult abuse, continuous sexual abuse of a child, sexual conduct with a minor, molestation of a child, sexual abuse, furnishing obscene material to a minor and kidnapping.

  • Sean Gorham, 51, died Dec. 23. He was incarcerated at the privately run Florence West Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility in Florence. Gorham was sentenced in 2019 out of Apache County for theft of means of transportation and a drug paraphernalia violation.

  • Joshua Fox, 23, died Dec. 26. He was incarcerated at the state-run Phoenix complex. Fox was sentenced out of Maricopa County in 2023 for manslaughter. Fox was hospitalized with self-harm injuries Dec. 20, just one day after he started his prison sentence, according to inmate records.

  • Sean King, 41, died Jan. 4. He was incarcerated at the state-run Eyman complex. King was sentenced in 2005 out of Mohave County for first-degree murder.

  • Teresa Hennessy, 44, died Jan. 8. She was incarcerated at the state-run Perryville complex. Hennessy was sentenced in 2023 out of Maricopa County for aggravated assault, taking the identity of another person or entity and theft of means of transportation.

Eyman Prison Complex
Eyman Prison Complex

There have been eight suicides in Arizona prisons since July 1. Prior to these five deaths, there were three Arizona prison inmate suicides in fiscal year 2024, according to the Department's most recent data. The Department's fiscal year runs July 1-June 30. The department revealed additional data about inmate deaths by suicide by fiscal year:

  • Five in fiscal year 2023

  • 10 in fiscal year 2022

  • 10 in fiscal year 2021

  • Six in fiscal year 2020

  • Seven in fiscal year 2019

  • Seven in fiscal year 2018

The county medical examiner’s office is consulted when investigating an inmate's cause of death, according to the Department.

'Symptoms of systemic failure'

John Fabricius, executive director of the nonprofit Arizonans for Transparency and Accountability in Corrections, told The Arizona Republic this rash of suicides by incarcerated individuals is part of a deep-seated issue facing the state and the nation.

"They're not isolated incidents, but they're symptoms of a much deeper systemic failure that we've had in Arizona with our prison system," Fabricius said. "These high suicide rates in prisons is a function of our society deciding to kick the can down the road on mental health."

Fabricius argued the prison system is set up to distrust the incarcerated. Those seeking mental health care, he said, are met with doubt and are suspected of seeking drugs or attention.

"When the system is set up to punish people, it's not set up to treat people," Fabricius said.

How the Arizona Department of Corrections handles mental health

The corrections department said in a statement to The Republic that the mental and physical well-being of those in custody is among its "highest priorities." The Department also said it was responding to these recent suicides by reviewing additional ways of helping inmates, reviewing policy and staff training and ensuring "the prison environment is one that heralds, not shames, all to seek support."

The Department said mental health clinicians screen new inmates. A mental health assessment is done on all inmates by the end of the second full business day after prison entry, according to a corrections department manual in use since late July 2018.

Inmates at risk of self-harm are referred to mental health professionals for treatment or placement on a mental health watch, according to the Department’s statement. Inmate mental health watches are done either every 10 minutes or 30 minutes, the manual details. A "Continuous Mental Health Watch" applies to inmates deemed at "an imminent risk of self-harm or harm to others," the manual reads.

In a follow-up email to The Republic, the Department said data on inmates assessed as being at risk "is not readily accessible."

In response to questions about whether there was a decrease in staffing that possibly affected welfare checks on inmates, the Department told The Republic in its statement that it "has recently experienced a positive, upward trend in staffing," but did not cite specific employee figures.

Gov. Hobbs' office addresses inmate suicides

Citing Gov. Hobbs' background as a social worker, her spokesman, Christian Slater, Thursday said in a Thursday afternoon statement to The Republic that the governor "takes very seriously the mental health care of all Arizonans." Slater commended the Department's staffing and Director Ryan Thornell's appointment.

"Too often, Arizona’s prison system has fallen short of its responsibilities, which is why Governor Hobbs appointed Director Thornell to steer the Department in a new direction," Slater's statement read. "Already, (the Department) has seen an uptick in staffing and is taking active steps to address prisoner suicides. Governor Hobbs will continue working to ensure all those in the state’s care receive the support they need."

Thornell was confirmed in early June by the state Senate. He was previously deputy commissioner for Maine's corrections department.

In a June 30, 2022 lawsuit ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver declared Arizona prison health care unconstitutional.

"Defendants have failed to provide, and continue to refuse to provide, a constitutionally adequate medical care and mental health care system for all prisoners," Silver wrote, calling prison health care "plainly grossly inadequate."

Free mental health resources are available to anyone in Arizona. A statewide mental health crisis line is available at 844-534-HOPE (4673). Another resource for 24/7 help is to dial 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in July replaced the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Teen Lifeline is for kids to call and get free, confidential and anonymous help from trained peers at 602-248-8336 (TEEN) or 800-248-8336 (TEEN) outside of Maricopa County.

Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.gonzalez@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter: @jrgzztx.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona prisons had 5 inmate suicides in a recent 23-day period