Texas man Charles Victor Thompson executed in first US execution of 2026

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A Texas man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend died by deadly injection Wednesday night, marking the primary U.S. execution of the yr.

Charles Victor Thompson, 55, was pronounced useless at 6:50 p.m. native time after receiving the injection on the Texas Division of Felony Justice’s Huntsville Unit. He was discovered responsible within the April 1998 taking pictures deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Glenda Dennise Hayslip, 39, and her new boyfriend, Darren Keith Cain, 30, on the girl’s Houston-area residence.

Earlier than the deadly dose was administered, Thompson requested the households of his victims for forgiveness, including that he hoped "you'll be able to start to heal and transfer previous this."

"There are not any winners on this scenario," he stated after a religious adviser prayed over him, including that his execution "creates extra victims and traumatizes extra individuals 28 years later."

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Texas executed Charles Victor Thompson, the primary individual put to demise within the U.S. this yr. (Texas Division of Felony Justice through AP)

"I’m sorry for what I did. I’m sorry for what occurred, and I wish to inform all of y’all, I really like you and that … preserve Jesus in your life, preserve Jesus first," he stated in his ultimate phrases.

Thompson gasped loudly because the injection started taking impact, in keeping with The Related Press, earlier than taking a couple of dozen breaths that changed into loud night breathing sounds. He then stopped transferring and was pronounced useless about 22 minutes later.

After witnessing the execution, Dennis Cain, whose son was killed by Thompson, stated, "He’s in hell."

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Charles Victor Thompson was executed in Texas for the 1998 killings of his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. (Texas Division of Felony Justice through AP)

Harris County District Legal professional Sean Tear, whose workplace prosecuted the case, stated, "This chapter is closed."

"It was justice a very long time coming," he added.

On the night time of the murders , Thompson visited Hayslip’s residence at 3 a.m. and received into an argument with Cain, in keeping with courtroom data. Thompson was informed to depart the complicated after police have been known as, however returned three hours later and shot the couple.

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An execution chamber in a Texas jail. (AP)

Cain died on the scene, whereas Hayslip died one week later.

Thompson’s unique death sentence was later overturned , however a jury once more sentenced him to die by deadly injection following a brand new punishment trial in November 2005.

Not lengthy after being resentenced, Thompson escaped from the Harris County Jail in Houston and spent three days on the run earlier than being caught.

He was arrested in Louisiana whereas making an attempt to arrange abroad wire transfers in an obvious try and flee to Canada.

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About an hour earlier than the scheduled execution, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a short order rejecting a ultimate enchantment from Thompson. Earlier this week, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Thompson’s request to commute his demise sentence to a lesser penalty.