Married Bodyguard Accused of Affair With Former Arizona Senator Suffers From PTSD, Faces Assault Charges

Days after the public learned about the legal complaint filed against former Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema by the ex-wife of her former bodyguard, more details have emerged about the man at the center of it.

Sinema, 49, who served on the senate from 2019 to 2025 and is now a lobbyist, is accused of having an affair with Matthew Ammel, a former Green Beret who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and who worked on her security staff starting in 2022.

Matthew, 49, was married to Heather Ammel until she filed for divorce in March 2025, citing his affair (but not naming Sinema at the time) as well as “verbal and emotional abuse” and drug use, according to the Daily Mail.

The exes were initially granted joint custody of their three children, ages 15, 13, and 11, but Matthew’s visits were suspended in November after he was arrested on felony charges of assault and strangulation.

The charges stemmed from an incident occurring at a North Carolina hospital, where Matthew was involuntarily committed after he threatened to shoot the manager of his rental property, reported the Mail. When a physician assistant at the hospital explained that he was not allowed to leave the premises, Matthew allegedly physically assaulted the man, attempting to strangle him. Matthew is currently out on $10,000 bond and awaits a hearing on January 29.

Court documents filed by Heather after the incident allege that Matthew had a long history of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and “erratic, concerning behaviors,” according to AZ Central.

Heather’s lawsuit, which was filed in September, claims that Matthew and Sinema are still in a relationship, reported the Mail.