A double murderer used his dying moments to apologise to his victims' family before being put to death.

Cedric Ricks fatally stabbed Roxann Sanchez, 30, and her eight year old son Anthony Figueroa at their flat following a row. Ricks also attacked Roxann's elder son, then-12 year old Marcus Figueroa, but he pretended to be dead in order to survive, The Mirror reports.

He last night watched Ricks, now aged 51, receive a lethal injection at the state prison in Huntsville, Texas, 30 minutes after which Ricks was declared dead. Ricks had said: "I want to say that I'm sorry for taking Roxann and Anthony from y'all. I'm glad to be able to speak to tell y'all that face to face."

Ricks said he hoped one day that his victims' relatives would be able to find it in their hearts to forgive him. He also addressed Marcus, saying he hated he took his mother and brother away.

Struggling to hold back tears, he continued: "I always thought about you and I'm sorry that I took your mom and your brother away. I hate that you had to experience that, I just can't imagine, but I'm truly sorry for what I've done, and I wish y'all peace and joy as much as you can but I'm sorry, that's all I can say... I hope y'all go in peace. I really do. I'm sorry."

Marcus was amongst seven relatives who witnessed the execution, which took place 13 years after the crimes in Bedford, Texas.

They observed Ricks, secured to a gurney, take 19 rapid breaths and make 10 snoring sounds after the fatal drug dose took effect.

The father had been handed a death sentence over a decade earlier after he seized a knife from the kitchen and repeatedly stabbed Roxann following an argument.

Marcus fled to his bedroom wardrobe and attempted to contact police. Following Anthony's killing, Ricks turned on Marcus with the knife, with the youngster feigning death until his attacker departed the flat, authorities stated.

Ricks left his own then-nine-month-old son Isaiah unharmed, court documents revealed. Ricks escaped and was subsequently apprehended in Oklahoma, which borders Texas.

Throughout his capital murder trial, Ricks claimed he suffered from anger management problems and had been acting in self-defence against the two boys - to whom he was not the biological father - after they had intervened to protect their mother.

Addressing the court during his trial, the defendant had said: "Explaining my rage, I was upset. Things happen. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I wish I could bring them back, like, right now."