Texas is preparing to carry out four executions in 2026 for inmates currently on death row, with cases involving heinous crimes, including murders of children and elderly victims.
Inmates scheduled for execution include Charles Victor Thompson, Cedric Allen Ricks, James Garfield Broadnax, and Edward Lee Busby Jr. Here’s a closer look at their cases and the dates set for their executions.
Charles Victor Thompson
Charles Victor Thompson, aged 55, is slated for execution on January 28, 2026. He has been incarcerated since 1999, when, at 28, he was charged with the murders of two individuals in their Houston apartment. The incident took place during a break-in after Thompson had a confrontation with the victims.
Thompson gained notoriety earlier in his life when he escaped from a Houston jail in 2005, only to be recaptured in Louisiana days later. Reports indicated that he was found intoxicated and speaking on a payphone outside a liquor store in Shreveport, approximately 200 miles from the jail.
The victims of Thompson’s crime were Dennise Hayslip, 39, and Darren Keith Cain, 30. Hayslip was Thompson’s ex-girlfriend, and Cain was her new partner. Cain succumbed to his injuries at the scene, while Hayslip passed away in the hospital a week later.
Cedric Allen Ricks
Cedric Allen Ricks, 51, is scheduled to be executed on March 11, 2026. Ricks was sentenced to death in 2014 for the brutal stabbing of 30-year-old Roxann Sanchez and her 8-year-old son, Anthony Figueroa. Another son, 12-year-old Marcus Figueroa, survived the attack and testified against Ricks in court.
During his testimony, Marcus recounted how he devised a strategy to escape Ricks’ assault by mimicking his brother’s gurgling sounds, which prompted Ricks to stop attacking him. An infant was also present during the incident but was unharmed.
James Garfield Broadnax
James Garfield Broadnax, now 37, is set for execution on April 30, 2026. At 19 years old, he was charged with the murders of an aspiring Christian singer and his colleague at a recording studio in Garland in 2008. In an interview following the crime, Broadnax stated that he and his cousin had intended to rob someone that night.
Their targeted victims, Matthew Butler, a father of two, and Stephen Swan, were outside Butler’s recording studio when they were attacked. Broadnax and his cousin left the scene with only $2 from the crime. Following his arrest, Broadnax showed no remorse, reportedly dismissing the victims’ families with a crude remark.
Edward Lee Busby Jr.
Edward Lee Busby Jr., 53, is scheduled for execution on May 14, 2026. Convicted of the 2004 murder of retired TCU professor Laura Lee Crane, Busby abducted her from a grocery store parking lot, with robbery as the motive. He was found guilty of suffocating her by taping her mouth and nose shut.
Crane, 77, was reported missing in January 2004, and her body was discovered the following month in the trunk of her car at the bottom of an embankment. An autopsy revealed she died from asphyxiation.
Ongoing Case Review: Robert Roberson
Meanwhile, Robert Roberson, an East Texas man convicted of murdering his 2-year-old daughter, has had his execution postponed twice. In October 2025, his execution was stayed, allowing the legal system to review his case further.
Roberson’s defense argues that his original conviction relied on discredited science related to shaken baby syndrome. They maintain that his daughter, Nikki Curtis, may have died from untreated pneumonia. After being diagnosed with autism post-conviction, Roberson’s case has seen increased scrutiny, particularly regarding his emotional presentation during the trial.
His execution was halted in 2024, but the Texas Attorney General sought to set a new date, which was established for nearly a year later. On October 9, 2025, an emergency stay was issued, returning Roberson’s case to the trial court for further examination.
