Cedric Ricks Executed In Texas For Brutal Slaying of Mother and Child

A second man was executed in Texas in 2026 this month. Cedrick Ricks was executed for the brutal slaying of a mother and her eight-year-old son. Her 12-year-old was also stabbed 25 times but managed to survive his injuries.

What Happened The Night Cedric Ricks Snapped

According to court documents, Ricks was living with his girlfriend, Roxann Sanchez, in an apartment located in Bedford, Texas, in 2013. They had one infant child together, and Roxann had two children from a previous marriage.

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On May 1st, a neighbor heard Ricks shouting and cursing at Sanchez outside the apartment, as Sanchez was carrying up groceries in the stairwell. The fight then moved inside the apartment, when Ricks began physically fighting Sanchez. Her sons attempted to stop Ricks from punching their mother on the floor. It was then that Ricks went to the kitchen to retrieve a knife. He stabbed Sanchez multiple times, while one of the boys ran to his room to call the police from a closet.

Ricks stabbed both boys until he believed they were both dead. He left his biological child alone in a crib. Ricks then washed himself up, packed his clothing, and made a phone call before fleeing in Sanchez's vehicle. Despite bleeding badly, one of the boys continued to play dead during the duration. He would be saved by the police.

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Ricks called and asked a cousin of his to go to the apartment to retrieve his child from the crib, however, she wisely called the police instead. The police then located the badly injured boy, who was "covered in blood head to toe."

Ricks was captured fairly quickly after attempting to flee.

Cedric Ricks's Violent Past

Part of delivering a death penalty sentence in Texas is proving "future dangerousness." This can be done by demonstrating the severe nature of a crime, subsequent behavior after the crime (how they act in jail, usually), or by proving a violent past. In Rick's case, several women testified to Rick's violence with them, including incidents of physical beatings, chokings, and threats to kill them.

Cedric's Last Words

“I can’t imagine the pain it has caused you, I’m glad I am able to speak to tell y’all that face–to–face. To Marcus, I always thought about you, and I’m sorry that I took your mom and your brother away.”