PHOENIX, AZ — Matthew Ammel, the former bodyguard and ex-boyfriend of former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, was arrested again Sept. 29 after prosecutors said he violated his pretrial release conditions in a felony domestic violence case. Authorities say Ammel left a large knife at a north Phoenix gun store, made threats against judges and police officers, and later faced a renewed push from prosecutors to raise his bond.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office filed an emergency motion seeking to increase his bond to $100,000 cash-only. Prosecutors said the request came less than two weeks after Ammel’s first arrest, when he was given supervised release after being accused of damaging Sinema’s Cave Creek home. State attorneys now say his conduct shows a growing danger to the public and to Sinema.
Prosecutors say Ammel was trying to get weapons and tactical gear
Court records say Pretrial Services received a warning from North Carolina authorities on Tuesday that Ammel was actively trying to obtain guns and tactical gear while making threats against a judge. Later that day, his GPS monitor placed him at a firearm retailer in north Phoenix.
There, a sheriff’s detective learned Ammel had left behind a large hunting-style knife so it could be engraved. Prosecutors described the knife in court filings as a military-style weapon and said the behavior raised fresh concerns because it followed earlier threats and monitoring by probation and court officials.
State lawyers said the incident showed Ammel was ignoring court restrictions soon after being released. They argued the timing and the nature of the conduct justified a tougher bond and closer supervision.
Authorities describe erratic behavior and military experience
In court documents, prosecutors said police were alarmed by Ammel’s “erratic” behavior, his military background and his efforts to recruit “military friends” to help him assemble a rifle. They also said he had been discussing funeral arrangements and making threats against sitting judges, lawyers and police personnel.
Officials said those details intensified safety concerns because Ammel is a U.S. Army veteran who, in their view, had the training and contacts to carry out violent plans. Prosecutors said he also threatened to “take her down,” referring to Sinema, and that the threats were part of an escalating pattern.
The emergency filing asked a judge to reconsider the original release terms. Prosecutors said the combination of weapons-seeking, alleged threats and military knowledge created a risk they could not ignore.
Detectives arrested him outside a Cheesecake Factory in north Phoenix
Detectives with the Arizona State Gang Task Force helped lure Ammel out of his hotel room near 24th Street and Camelback Road, according to court records. They then asked him to walk across the street to the Cheesecake Factory parking lot, where he was taken into custody at about 9:45 p.m. on Sept. 29.
Police said the operation led to a second arrest in less than two weeks. After the arrest, a judge set bond at $25,000 in connection with the knife incident. Prosecutors, however, continued pushing for a substantially higher cash-only amount.
The arrest location was in central Phoenix near a busy commercial area, but the case itself remained tied to the larger felony domestic violence matter and the court’s concern about Ammel’s conduct while on release.
The case began with damage to Sinema’s Cave Creek home
The underlying charges stem from an Aug. 30 incident, when deputies said Ammel entered Sinema’s home while she was away and demanded that she post a video to X. When she refused, investigators say he destroyed 22 paintings valued at more than $123,000 by throwing them into the backyard pool.
Authorities also say he shattered expensive alcohol bottles and mirrors throughout the house. Ammel was first taken into custody on Sept. 17 after being discharged from a mental health facility, and he was charged with felony aggravated criminal damage domestic violence.
Prosecutors say the property damage alone caused nearly $200,000 in losses. The later allegations about threats and weapons have widened the case from property destruction to an active public-safety concern.
More court dates are set as prosecutors seek tighter control
Prosecutors now say Ammel also broke a protective order shortly after his first release by having an acquaintance contact Sinema on his behalf. They said that conduct added another layer to the case and suggested he was not respecting the court’s restrictions.
In addition to the Arizona charges, Ammel was already serving unsupervised probation for a prior felony case in North Carolina. His Arizona court schedule now includes an arraignment on Oct. 7 and a pretrial conference on Jan. 20, 2027.
The broader dispute also intersects with a separate civil matter in North Carolina, where Sinema acknowledged an affair with Ammel in response to an alienation-of-affection lawsuit filed by Ammel’s wife. For now, though, the criminal case in Arizona is centered on the alleged break-in, damage, threats and repeated violations of release conditions.
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