Texas Man Executed Following Gruesome Murders of Mother and Son

Tue Mar 17 2026 13:42:14 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Cedric Ricks was executed in Texas for the 2013 stabbings of Roxann Sanchez and her 8-year-old son, Anthony. His final words were directed at the surviving son, expressing remorse for his actions.

Cedric Ricks, 51, was executed on Wednesday evening in Texas for the 2013 fatal stabbings of his girlfriend, Roxann Sanchez, and her young son, Anthony Figueroa. Ricks apologized to the victims’ family during his last moments, particularly addressing the surviving son, Marcus, who witnessed the attack. Despite his apologies, Ricks faced punishment for his heinous crime amidst ongoing discussions about the death penalty in the U.S. The execution follows a long legal battle, which included arguments about racial discrimination during jury selection. Ricks was the second individual executed in Texas this year.

In a somber event on Wednesday evening, Cedric Ricks was put to death by lethal injection in Texas for the brutal murders of Roxann Sanchez and her son, Anthony Figueroa, in 2013. The execution, occurring at 6:55 p.m. CDT at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, follows a tragic incident that shook the Dallas-Fort Worth community.

Ricks, aged 51, had been convicted for stabbing Sanchez and her 8-year-old son to death after a domestic dispute escalated. The surviving son, 12-year-old Marcus Figueroa, who was also attacked and left with severe wounds, watched from an observation window as Ricks offered profuse apologies to the victims' family members, particularly to Marcus. Ricks expressed his sorrow for the pain caused, hoping for forgiveness.

In his final words, Ricks stated, I want to say that I’m sorry for taking Roxann and Anthony from y’all, and conveyed his wish to eventually meet his victims in the afterlife to repeat his apologies. His execution was marked by unsettling sounds as the lethal drugs took effect, signifying the end of a lengthy legal journey. Ricks had faced rejection from various legal avenues including the U.S. Supreme Court before his execution.

The incident, which led to the deaths and Marcus's harrowing survival, began when Ricks, involved in an argument with Sanchez, resorted to violence when her sons intervened. After fatally stabbing the 8-year-old, Ricks attacked Marcus, who played dead to escape further harm. They were not Ricks' only victims, as he previously faced legal troubles for domestic violence against Sanchez.

The execution of Ricks has reignited discussions surrounding the death penalty in the United States, especially in Texas, a state known for its frequent use of capital punishment. Ricks is the second individual to be executed in Texas this year, underscoring the ongoing complexities of the justice system and the morality of capital punishment.