The United States witnessed its first execution of the year as a Texas man, found guilty of a double murder, was put to death by lethal injection on Wednesday evening. Charles Victor Thompson, aged 55, was administered the lethal dose at the Huntsville Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. His execution followed his conviction for the 1998 fatal shootings of his former girlfriend, Glenda Dennise Hayslip, and her new partner, Darren Keith Cain, in Houston.
As he faced his final moments, Thompson made a poignant appeal to the families of his victims, seeking their forgiveness. “I hope you can begin to heal and move past this,” he expressed, acknowledging the deep pain caused by his actions.
Thompson reflected on the broader impact of his execution, noting, “There are no winners in this situation.” He lamented that his death “creates more victims and traumatizes more people 28 years later,” highlighting the long-lasting repercussions that extend beyond his immediate actions.
In his last words, Thompson conveyed remorse and a message of love and faith. “I’m sorry for what I did. I’m sorry for what happened,” he stated, urging others to “keep Jesus in your life, keep Jesus first.” These words were spoken after a spiritual adviser offered prayers over him, encapsulating a moment of introspection and contrition.
This execution marks a somber milestone as Texas carries out the first capital punishment in the nation this year, underscoring the ongoing and complex dialogue surrounding the death penalty in America.
“I’m sorry for what I did. I’m sorry for what happened, and I want to tell all of y’all, I love you and that … keep Jesus in your life, keep Jesus first,” he said in his final words.
Thompson gasped loudly as the injection began taking effect, according to The Associated Press, before taking about a dozen breaths that turned into snoring sounds. He then stopped moving and was pronounced dead about 22 minutes later.
After witnessing the execution, Dennis Cain, whose son was killed by Thompson, said, “He’s in hell.”
Charles Victor Thompson was executed in Texas for the 1998 killings of his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)
Harris County District Attorney Sean Tear, whose office prosecuted the case, said, “This chapter is closed.”
“It was justice a long time coming,” he added.
On the night of the murders, Thompson visited Hayslip’s apartment at 3 a.m. and got into an argument with Cain, according to court records. Thompson was told to leave the complex after police were called, but returned three hours later and shot the couple.
An execution chamber in a Texas prison. (AP)
Cain died at the scene, while Hayslip died one week later.
Thompson’s original death sentence was later overturned, but a jury again sentenced him to die by lethal injection following a new punishment trial in November 2005.
Not long after being resentenced, Thompson escaped from the Harris County Jail in Houston and spent three days on the run before being caught.
He was arrested in Louisiana while trying to set up overseas wire transfers in an apparent attempt to flee to Canada.
About an hour before the scheduled execution, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a brief order rejecting a final appeal from Thompson. Earlier this week, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Thompson’s request to commute his death sentence to a lesser penalty.
