Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's ex-lover and former bodyguard now faces a felony charge after allegedly breaking into her Cave Creek home and destroying more than $200,000 worth of her belongings while she was away.
Matthew Ammel, 39, was arrested September 18 in connection with the incident, which Maricopa County sheriff's deputies say occurred August 30 while Sinema was out of town, according to Arizona's Family. She reported the damage to authorities September 3 upon discovering it.
According to court records, Ammel entered Sinema's home and pressured her to post a video on X, allegedly warning that he'd destroy a painting on a fixed timer if she didn't comply. When she refused, deputies say he tore 22 paintings off the walls and hurled them into her backyard pool, leaving one more defaced with black spray paint near the front entrance. He's also accused of smashing several expensive liquor bottles throughout the house, scattering glass across the floors and pool area, and shattering a large wall-mounted mirror by throwing a bottle at it.
Investigators found the artwork and the mirror's remains submerged in or floating on the pool water. The paintings alone were valued at $123,015, with total damage to the property and pool pushing the estimate past $200,000. Sinema reportedly provided deputies with text messages, video recordings, and surveillance footage that helped identify Ammel as the person responsible.
Ammel, an Army veteran, was booked on a class 4 felony criminal damage charge; before his arrest, he'd spent time at a mental health facility under a court order allowing doctors to evaluate him without his consent. His initial court appearance was unusual: he never physically appeared before the judge, with a sheriff's deputy noting he was reportedly being combative in the hallway. No bond was set, and Ammel has since been released with an electronic monitor ahead of his next court date.
Construction crews were recently spotted building a wall around Sinema's property, with one worker saying the project has been underway for roughly two weeks. A neighbor said Sinema had planned the added security since first moving in over a year ago due to prior threats, and recalled seeing Ammel doing yard work at the home at one point.
The relationship between Sinema and Ammel, who served on her security detail in 2024, has already spawned separate litigation: Ammel's ex-wife sued Sinema earlier this year under North Carolina's so-called "homewrecker" law, alleging the affair began during a 2023 trip to a Las Vegas concert. A federal judge ruled earlier this month that the lawsuit can proceed, rejecting Sinema's argument that she has no legal ties to North Carolina.
Sinema left the Senate after declining to seek re-election in 2024, blew large amounts of campaign money on legally questionable purposes after leaving, and now works for the law and lobbying firm Hogan Lovells. Her team has not yet responded to a request for comment on Ammel's arrest.
