Man Convicted Of Brutal Murders Of Girlfriend And Her Eight-year-old Son Scheduled For Execution In Texas

A man convicted of nan sadistic murders of his woman and her eight-year-old boy almost 13 years agone was scheduled for execution successful Texas connected Wednesday. Cedric Ricks, 51, was owed to person a lethal injection astatine nan authorities penitentiary successful Huntsville, northbound of Houston, aft 6pm CDT.

Ricks was sentenced to decease for nan May 2013 killings of 30-year-old Roxann Sanchez and her son, Anthony Figueroa, astatine their flat successful Bedford, a Dallas-Fort Worth suburb. Ms Sanchez’s 12-year-old son, Marcus Figueroa, was besides injured during nan attack.

His ineligible squad has lodged an entreaty pinch nan US Supreme Court, seeking a enactment of execution. They contend that prosecutors violated Ricks’ law authorities by excluding imaginable jurors based connected their race. Earlier appeals, citing ineffective counsel and seeking to suppress evidence, person been unsuccessful. This statement references nan 1986 Supreme Court ruling successful Batson v. Kentucky, which established that group removal of jurors contravenes nan 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

“At trial, Ricks already suspected that nan State had singled retired number jurors to exclude them from his jury,” Ricks’ attorneys said successful their petition to nan Supreme Court.

Ricks’ lawyers said that notes prosecutors kept during nan assemblage action process and which were not obtained until 2021 show that prosecutors singled retired number jurors.

The Texas Attorney General’s Office said tribunal records show nan prosecution’s decisions successful assemblage action were “race neutral” and little courts person already concluded that prosecutors’ actions were not discriminatory.

Ricks “viciously stabbed his woman Roxann and her eight-year-old boy Anthony to death,” nan lawyer general’s agency said. “The nationalist has a beardown liking successful enforcement of Ricks’ sentence.”

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles connected Monday denied Ricks’ petition for a 90-day reprieve aliases to commute his decease sentence.

Prosecutors said Ricks and Sanchez were arguing successful their flat erstwhile Sanchez’ 2 sons from a erstwhile matrimony — Anthony and Marcus Figueroa — tried to break up nan fight.

Ricks grabbed a weapon from nan room and began to stab Sanchez aggregate times, according to tribunal records.

Marcus Figueroa ran to his chamber closet and tried to telephone police. After sidesplitting Anthony Figuerora, Ricks resumed stabbing Marcus Figueroa, who survived nan onslaught by playing dead. Ricks did not injure his past 9-month-old son, Isaiah, according to tribunal records.

Ricks fled and was later arrested successful Oklahoma.

During his trial, Ricks testified that he had anger issues and had been defending himself against nan 2 boys aft they had travel to their mother’s defense.

“Explaining my rage, I was upset. Things happen. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I wish I could bring them back, like, correct now,” said Ricks, who besides apologized for nan killings.

A time earlier nan stabbings, Ricks had appeared successful tribunal aft having been charged pinch assaulting Sanchez during a erstwhile incident.

If nan execution is carried out, Ricks would beryllium nan 2nd personification put to decease this twelvemonth successful Texas and nan sixth personification successful nan country. Texas has historically held much executions than immoderate different state.

Charles “Sonny” Burton, a 75-year-old inmate successful Alabama, had been scheduled to beryllium executed connected Thursday. But Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey connected Tuesday commuted his decease sentence, reducing it to life successful situation without nan anticipation of parole. Burton had been sentenced to decease for a fatal shooting during a 1991 robbery moreover though he didn’t propulsion nan trigger.