Texas Executes Inmate for 1998 Double Murder

Charles Victor Thompson executed for killing ex-girlfriend Dennise Hayslip and her boyfriend Darren Cain

Jan. 28, 2026 at 8:23pm

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Texas executed Charles Victor Thompson on January 28, 2026 for the 1998 double murder of his ex-girlfriend Dennise Hayslip and her new boyfriend Darren Cain. Thompson broke into Hayslip's apartment and shot both victims, killing Cain and fatally wounding Hayslip. Thompson gained notoriety in 2005 for a brazen escape from a Harris County jail.

Why it matters

The execution of Thompson brings closure to the Hayslip family after nearly 28 years, though the son Wade Hayslip says it does not provide full healing. The case also highlights the ongoing debate around the death penalty, with 47 inmates executed in the U.S. in 2025 and 17 more scheduled so far in 2026.

The details

On April 30, 1998, Dennise Hayslip told Thompson she wanted to be with Darren Cain. Thompson went to Hayslip's apartment, fought with Cain, and was allowed to leave, but returned three hours later with a gun. Thompson broke down the door, shot Cain four times, and shot Hayslip in the leg and then the cheek at close range. Hayslip initially survived and identified Thompson as the shooter, but died days later in the hospital. Thompson fled, dumped the gun, and turned himself in the next day.

  • On April 30, 1998, Dennise Hayslip told Thompson she wanted to be with Darren Cain.
  • Thompson returned to Hayslip's apartment three hours later and committed the murders.
  • Hayslip died several days later in the hospital from her injuries.
  • Thompson was executed by lethal injection on January 28, 2026.
  • The execution was the first carried out in the U.S. in 2026, following a busy 2025 with 47 inmates executed.

The players

Charles Victor Thompson

A 55-year-old Texas death row inmate who was executed for the 1998 double murder of his ex-girlfriend Dennise Hayslip and her new boyfriend Darren Cain.

Dennise Hayslip

A 39-year-old woman who owned her own nail salon and worked as a nail technician. She was killed by Thompson in 1998 after telling him she wanted to be with her new boyfriend Darren Cain.

Darren Cain

Dennise Hayslip's 31-year-old new boyfriend who was killed by Thompson in 1998 when he broke into Hayslip's apartment.

Wade Hayslip

Dennise Hayslip's 13-year-old son at the time of the murders, who is now a 41-year-old married father of three living in Chicago.

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What they’re saying

“I hope the victim's family, their extended family, and their loved ones can find forgiveness in their heart and that you can begin to heal and move past this. There is no winners in this situation, it creates more victims and traumatizes more people 28 years later.”

— Charles Victor Thompson (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)

“It's more of the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. I'm looking forward to the new one.”

— Wade Hayslip, Dennise Hayslip's son (USA TODAY)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate around the death penalty, with 47 inmates executed in the U.S. in 2025 and 17 more scheduled so far in 2026. While the execution brings closure to the Hayslip family, the son Wade Hayslip says it does not provide full healing after nearly 28 years.