Texas Schedules First Execution of 2026 for Houston Double Murder Convict
HUNTSVILLE, January 28, 2026 – The State of Texas is scheduled to carry out its first execution of the year on Wednesday, ending the nearly three-decade capital case of Charles Victor Thompson. Thompson, 55, was convicted for the 1998 killings of Dennise Hayslip and Darren Cain in a Houston apartment.
Case Background and Legal Journey
Charles Victor Thompson’s path to death row began on April 30, 1998, when Houston police responded to a shooting at an apartment complex. They found Dennise Hayslip, 30, and Darren Cain, 32, dead from gunshot wounds. Investigators linked a .380-caliber weapon to Thompson, with forensic evidence confirming the victims’ wounds matched the firearm.
A Harris County jury convicted Thompson of capital murder and sentenced him to death in 1999. However, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned that sentence in 2001, citing improper jury instructions regarding Thompson’s future dangerousness. A new sentencing hearing was held in 2005, where a second jury again sentenced Thompson to death.
Shortly after that resentencing, Thompson made a brief escape from the Harris County jail in Houston, an incident that drew significant media attention at the time. He has remained in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice since his recapture.
Key Facts & Case Timeline
| Case Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Charles Victor Thompson (TDCJ #999306) |
| Date of Birth | June 13, 1970 |
| Crime Date | April 30, 1998 |
| Victims | Dennise Hayslip (30) and Darren Cain (32) |
| Location | Houston, Harris County, Texas |
| Original Sentence | Death (1999) |
| Resentencing | Death (2005) |
| Execution Date | January 28, 2026 |
| Execution Method | Lethal Injection |
Final Appeals and Execution Context
Thompson’s legal team exhausted several appeals in recent years, including a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court that was denied in October 2020. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected a final request to halt the execution or vacate the death sentence on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, clearing the path for the state to proceed.
If carried out, this execution would mark the continuation of Texas’s use of capital punishment, though at historically reduced levels compared to previous decades. According to the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, new death sentences in the state have decreased significantly since peaking in 1999—the same year Thompson was originally sentenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Charles Victor Thompson?
Charles Victor Thompson is a Texas death row inmate convicted of murdering two people in Houston in 1998. He has been incarcerated since 1999 and was resentenced to death in 2005 after his original sentence was overturned.
What crime was he convicted of?
Thompson was convicted of capital murder for the April 1998 shootings of Dennise Hayslip and Darren Cain in their Houston apartment. Prosecutors presented evidence linking a .380-caliber firearm to Thompson and the crime scene.
Has Thompson appealed his sentence?
Yes. Thompson’s death sentence was overturned by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2001. He was resentenced to death in 2005. His legal team filed multiple appeals, including a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court that was denied in 2020. His final appeal was rejected on January 27, 2026.
When is the execution scheduled?
The execution is scheduled for January 28, 2026, at the Huntsville Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. This would be Texas’s first execution of 2026.