Four inmates at Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis in Buckeye are now facing charges in the December death of 43-year-old Jacob Major, whose death has brought Arizona’s prison violence back to the forefront. Major was attacked inside the Lewis facility in mid-December and subsequently died in a West Valley hospital, sparking a homicide inquiry and new suspicions about gang activities behind prison.
According to 12News, the four individuals are Timothy Moss, Aaron Halgar, Christopher Velasquez, and Victor Hernandez, and they are accused of causing Major’s injuries that resulted in his death. The site reports that formal murder charges were filed this week, but no exact court dates or jail information was provided.
Major was assaulted on December 14, 2025, and then moved from the Lewis complex to the Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear, where he was pronounced dead on December 16, 2025, according to a release from the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry. According to the department’s letter, Major was returned to ADCRR custody in 2013 to fulfill his Pima County sentence for car theft and burglary.
ADCRR authorities have openly linked Major’s murder to greater tensions inside the system, claiming that his death and another recent inmate mortality “appear to be the result of isolated gang-related disputes.” Specialized units, including the Security Threat Group and intelligence teams, are collaborating with outside law enforcement authorities in the probes, according to Arizona’s Family. The government says it is allocating greater resources to the cases and promises to hold anyone responsible accountable.
The latest allegations come at a time when ADCRR is already under fire for multiple violent episodes in jail this year, as well as renewed requests from state lawmakers for independent prison oversight and funding for a prisons watchdog, according to KJZZ. According to ADCRR, the Office of the Inspector General is leading the homicide investigation while cooperating with other agencies.
The four defendants are now facing criminal charges related to Major’s death. Formal court papers will include a full list of charges and associated punishments. If convicted of murder, the men face lengthy jail sentences under Arizona law, and the case is expected to go through the Maricopa County court system.
According to ADCRR’s statement and local reporting, these are the details that have been made public thus far. Investigators say the investigation is still ongoing, and more evidence is expected to emerge as charging paperwork, court records, and official comments are disclosed.
