Charles Victor Thompson, a Texas man who at one point escaped custody and was on the run for three days after being sentenced to death for fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend and her new partner almost 27 years ago, became the first person executed in the United States this year.

Thompson was convicted of the April 1998 shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Glenda Dennise Hayslip, 39, and her new boyfriend, Darren Keith Cain, 30, in their apartment in Tomball, a suburb of Houston.

The 55-year-old was pronounced dead Wednesday at 6:50 pm after receiving a lethal injection at Huntsville State Penitentiary.

In his final words, Thompson asked the families of his victims to forgive him from the bottom of their hearts, adding, “May they be able to begin to heal and move on from this,” according to CBS News.

“In this situation, nobody wins,” he said after a spiritual advisor prayed for him for about three minutes, shortly before he was given a lethal dose of pentobarbital. He added that his execution “creates more victims and traumatizes more people 28 years later.” "I regret what I did. I regret what happened, and I want to tell everyone that I love you and keep Jesus in your lives, put Jesus first," he added. Thompson is the first person executed this year in the United States. Historically, Texas has carried out more executions than any other state, although Florida recorded the most in 2015, with 19. Prosecutors say Thompson and Hayslip were in a relationship for about a year, but they broke up after Thompson “became increasingly possessive, jealous, and abusive.” According to court records, Hayslip and Cain were dating when Thompson arrived at Hayslip's apartment and began arguing with Cain around 3 am on the night of the murders. Police were called and Thompson was ordered to leave the apartment complex. Thompson returned three hours later and shot Hayslip and Cain, who died at the scene. Hayslip died in a hospital a week later.

Defense asked to halt execution

“The families of Hayslip and Cain have waited more than 25 years for justice to be done,” prosecutors from the Harris County District Attorney's Office stated in court documents.

Thompson's lawyers asked the US Supreme Court to stay his execution, arguing that Thompson was not allowed to rebut or confront the prosecution's evidence that concluded Hayslip died from a gunshot wound to the face.

Thompson's lawyers argued that Hayslip died due to inadequate medical care he received after the shooting, which caused severe brain damage from lack of oxygen following a failed attempt intubation.

About an hour before the scheduled 6 pm execution, the US Supreme Court, without explanation, issued a brief order rejecting Thompson's final appeal.

The day he escaped from prison

Shortly after being sentenced, Thompson escaped from the Harris County Jail in Houston by walking out the front door, virtually undetected by officers. Thompson later told The Associated Press that after meeting with his lawyer in a small interrogation cell, he removed his handcuffs and orange jumpsuit and left. the room, which was unlocked. an ID badge made from his prison ID card to get past several officers. “I could smell the trees, feel the wind in my hair, the grass under my feet, see the stars at night. It transported me right back to my childhood, being outdoors on a summer night," Thompson said of his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the Associated Press. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while attempting to arrange wire transfers from abroad so he could get to Canada. Thompson was intoxicated and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said. Thompson's lawyers argued that Hayslip died due to the inadequate medical care he received after the shooting, which caused severe brain damage from lack of oxygen following a failed intubation. Approximately one hour before the scheduled 6 pm execution, the US Supreme Court, without explanation, issued a brief order rejecting Thompson's final appeal. The day he escaped from prison: Shortly after being sentenced, Thompson escaped from the Harris County Jail in Houston by walking out the front door, virtually undetected by Thompson later told The Associated Press that after meeting with his lawyer in a small interrogation cell, he removed his handcuffs and orange jail jumpsuit. and left the room, which was unlocked. Thompson displayed an ID badge made from his prison ID card to get past several officers. "I could smell the trees, feel the wind in my hair, the grass under my feet, see the stars at night. It transported me right back to my childhood, being outdoors on a summer night," Thompson said of his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the Associated Press. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while attempting to arrange wire transfers from abroad so he could get to Canada.Thompson was intoxicated and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said. Thompson's lawyers argued that Hayslip died due to the inadequate medical care he received after the shooting, which caused severe brain damage from lack of oxygen following a failed intubation. Approximately one hour before the scheduled 6 pm execution, the US Supreme Court, without explanation, issued a brief order rejecting Thompson's final appeal. The day he escaped from prison: Shortly after being sentenced, Thompson escaped from the Harris County Jail in Houston by walking out the front door, virtually undetected by officers. Thompson later told The Associated Press that after meeting with his lawyer in a small interrogation cell, he removed his handcuffs and orange jail jumpsuit and left the room, which was unlocked. Thompson displayed an ID badge made from his prison ID card to get past several officers. "I could smell the trees, feel the wind in my hair, the grass under my feet, see the stars at night. It transported me right back to my childhood, being outdoors on a summer night," Thompson said of his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the Associated Press. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while attempting to arrange wire transfers from abroad so he could get to Canada. Thompson was intoxicated and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said. Thompson said of his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the AP. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while attempting to arrange wire transfers from abroad to help him reach Canada. Thompson was intoxicated and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said. Thompson said this about his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the AP. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while trying to arrange wire transfers from abroad so he could get to Canada. Thompson was drunk and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said.he removed his handcuffs and orange jail jumpsuit and left the room, which was unlocked. Thompson displayed an ID badge made from his prison ID card to get past several officers. "I could smell the trees, feel the wind in my hair, the grass under my feet, see the stars at night. It transported me right back to my childhood, being outdoors on a summer night," Thompson said of his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the Associated Press. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while attempting to arrange wire transfers from abroad so he could get to Canada. Thompson was intoxicated and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said. Thompson said of his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the AP. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while attempting to arrange wire transfers from abroad to help him reach Canada. Thompson was intoxicated and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said. Thompson said this about his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the AP. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while trying to arrange wire transfers from abroad so he could get to Canada. Thompson was drunk and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said.he removed his handcuffs and orange jail jumpsuit and left the room, which was unlocked. Thompson displayed an ID badge made from his prison ID card to get past several officers. "I could smell the trees, feel the wind in my hair, the grass under my feet, see the stars at night. It transported me right back to my childhood, being outdoors on a summer night," Thompson said of his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the Associated Press. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while attempting to arrange wire transfers from abroad so he could get to Canada. Thompson was intoxicated and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said. Thompson said of his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the AP. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while attempting to arrange wire transfers from abroad to help him reach Canada. Thompson was intoxicated and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said. Thompson said this about his three days on the run during a 2005 interview with the AP. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 200 miles away, while trying to arrange wire transfers from abroad so he could get to Canada. Thompson was drunk and talking on a payphone outside a liquor store, authorities said.