Justice Carried Out in Texas as Convicted Double Murderer Delivers Final Words
The state of Texas once again upheld the rule of law Wednesday evening, carrying out the execution of a man convicted of brutally murdering a young mother and her 8-year-old son in a 2013 knife attack that shocked the Dallas-Fort Worth community.
Cedric Ricks, 51, was put to death by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit prison after exhausting every legal appeal, including a final request rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier in the day. His execution came more than a decade after he viciously stabbed 30-year-old Roxann Sanchez and her young son, Anthony Figueroa, during a domestic dispute.
In his final statement, Ricks turned to the grieving family members watching silently behind a glass partition and offered an apology. He admitted to “taking Roxann and Anthony away” from them and said he hoped they might one day find forgiveness. He also spoke directly to Marcus Figueroa, the surviving son who endured horrific injuries in the attack.
A Savage Crime That Shook a Community
The murders occurred in May 2013 at Sanchez’s apartment in Bedford, Texas. Prosecutors said an argument escalated when Sanchez’s two sons attempted to defend their mother. Ricks grabbed a kitchen knife and carried out a merciless assault, fatally stabbing both Sanchez and 8-year-old Anthony.
Marcus, who was just 12 years old at the time, was stabbed 25 times. In an extraordinary act of courage and survival instinct, the wounded boy played dead until Ricks fled the scene. He lived to testify to the horror he endured.
Medical examiners reported that Sanchez suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck, blunt force trauma, and asphyxiation. The sheer brutality of the crime left a permanent scar on the family and the wider Texas community.
- Roxann Sanchez, 30, murdered in her own home
- Anthony Figueroa, 8, killed while trying to protect his mother
- Marcus Figueroa, stabbed 25 times, survived by pretending to be dead
Following the killings, Ricks fled in Sanchez’s vehicle and contacted family members to confess. Law enforcement tracked his cellphone signal and apprehended him in Oklahoma before extraditing him back to Texas to face justice.
No More Delays, No More Appeals
Ricks was convicted of capital murder in 2014. During his trial, he claimed he struggled with anger issues and suggested he acted in self-defense — an argument the jury firmly rejected. Notably, he had appeared in court the day before the murders on a prior assault charge involving Sanchez.
Over the years, Ricks’ legal team filed multiple appeals, including allegations of improper jury selection. The Texas Attorney General’s Office maintained that jury decisions were race-neutral and had already been upheld by lower courts. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately declined to intervene.
Earlier in the week, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied requests for clemency or a temporary reprieve, clearing the way for the sentence handed down more than a decade ago to be carried out.
“I just hope one day you can find forgiveness in your heart,” Ricks said in his final moments, addressing the surviving family.
Texas Stands Firm for Victims
Marcus Figueroa, now an adult, stood just feet away from the execution chamber gurney. Visible scars on his neck bore silent testimony to the attack that nearly took his life. He showed no visible emotion as he witnessed the state carrying out the penalty determined by a jury of Texans.
At 6:55 p.m. CDT, Ricks was pronounced dead after receiving a lethal dose of pentobarbital.
Texas has long led the nation in upholding capital punishment, affirming that those who commit the most heinous crimes will face the ultimate consequence under the law. For many, Wednesday's execution marked the long-awaited conclusion of a tragic chapter — and a solemn reminder that justice, though sometimes delayed, is not denied in the Lone Star State.
While no sentence can restore the lives taken or erase the trauma inflicted, the enforcement of lawful punishment stands as a testament to Texas’ unwavering commitment to protecting innocent lives and honoring the victims whose voices can no longer be heard.
