Ex-Bodyguard Accused of $200K Damage to Kyrsten Sinema's Home

Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's ex-boyfriend and former bodyguard, Matthew Ammel, is accused of causing more than $200,000 in damage to her Arizona home in late August. Sinema, who represented Arizona as an Independent before retiring from the Senate, reported that Ammel, 39, went on a destructive spree at her Cave Creek residence on Aug. 30.

Ammel allegedly threatened to destroy Sinema's artwork if she did not comply with his demands to make a post on X, formerly Twitter, according to court documents cited by KPNX. Sinema refused, and Ammel proceeded to throw approximately 22 paintings into her pool. The estimated value of the damaged artwork was $123,015.

Deputies from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene on Sept. 3, discovering the paintings submerged in the pool. Another piece of artwork was found defaced with black spray paint. Ammel also allegedly broke numerous bottles of expensive alcohol, scattering glass throughout the home and into the pool. He is also accused of throwing a bottle at a large mirror, shattering it.

Ammel was arrested on Sept. 19 and charged with felony criminal damage. He was later located at a behavioral health center after a petition was filed for an involuntary psychiatric evaluation. During an initial court appearance, a deputy informed the court that Ammel was being "combative and he's in the hallway," according to AZFamily.

Despite court officials raising concerns about his mental state, Ammel, an Army veteran with reported post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries from deployments to the Middle East, was released without bond and placed on electronic monitoring.

The relationship between Sinema and Ammel became public through a lawsuit filed by Ammel's ex-wife, Heather Ammel, under North Carolina's "homewrecker law." She accused Sinema of destroying her marriage by having an affair with her ex-husband. The lawsuit alleges that "genuine love and affection existed" between Heather and Matthew Ammel prior to Sinema's alleged involvement.

According to court records, the affair began around Memorial Day 2024. Sinema, who admitted to having repeated sexual encounters with Ammel across the country, stated in a deposition that they engaged in sex at an Airbnb in Napa, California. Heather Ammel is seeking over $75,000 in damages, and the lawsuit has been allowed to proceed. Sinema has denied the allegations and requested a jury trial, with a pretrial conference scheduled for Oct. 22.