Affidavit: Ricks Admitted to Stabbings in Bedford

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Suspect Caught in Bedford Apartment Slayings

A man suspected of killing his ex-girlfriend and her son at their apartment near Fort Worth is in an Oklahoma jail. Bedford police say Cedric Ricks was caught in Garvin County last night, hours after Roxann Sanchez and her eight-year-old son Anthony Figueroa were found stabbed to death.

Apartment Stabbing Suspect Arrested in Okla.

Oklahoma police have arrested a man Bedford police say fatally stabbed the mother of his child and her 8-year-old son Wednesday night before fleeing the state.

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Oklahoma State Police arrested a man overnight Wednesday that Bedford police say fatally stabbed the mother of his child and her 8-year-old son before fleeing the state in her car that same evening.

At about 8:40 p.m. Wednesday, police were called to an apartment complex on the 1400 block of Park Place Boulevard where a family member reported 38-year-old Cedric Ricks had attacked several people, including children.

When officers arrived, they found a woman, now identified as 30-year-old Roxann Diana Sanchez, and an 8-year-old boy, Anthony Reyes Figueroa, dead.  A 12-year-old boy was also injured in the attack, but survived, and was transported to Children's Medical Center in critical condition. Doctors said the boy suffered a brain injury in the violent attack, but remain hopeful he'll survive.

An 8-month-old child, now in the custody of Child Protective Services, was also in the apartment at the time of the stabbings and was not injured.

Police said Ricks and Sanchez were an estranged couple that had one child together, the 8-month-old found unharmed.

As officers investigated the scene, they learned the woman's car was missing and put out a multi-state alert for officers to be on the lookout for the vehicle.

About three hours later, shortly after 11 p.m., officers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol stopped and arrested Ricks for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle about 70 miles north of the Texas-Oklahoma border in Garvin County.

While being held in the Garvin County Jail, three arrest warrants were issued for Ricks, two for murder and one for attempted murder. Each murder warrant had a $2 million bond while the attempted murder warrant had a bond amount of $500,000.

Ricks was arraigned on the charges Thursday afternoon.

Police are now working with Oklahoma authorities to transfer Ricks back to Texas, but he is fighting extradition. To get Ricks back in Texas, the Garvin County District Attorney will have to ask Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin to get a governor's warrant and force the extradition.  A judge advised the Garvin County Sheriff's Department that process may take as long as two months.

NBC 5 learned Thursday afternoon that a protective order that expired in January was the result of an assault that took place in Nov. 2012 where police said Ricks choked Sanchez.  After that incident, Child Protective Services became involved to determine the welfare of the children.

According to an affidavit obtained by NBC 5, Ricks called a cousin and admitted to killing Sanchez and her son.

The affidavit reads:

"Cedric Ricks informed her that he admitted to the stabbings. The witness related that Cedric Ricks told her that he was, 'hurt,' 'needed stitches,' and was 'cut up.'"

"The witness further stated that Cedric Ricks told her he was, 'Sorry,' 'Couldn't take it anymore,' and was 'Stressed,' and stated that 'Nobody loves me,' and that he was, 'Not going to jail.'"

Investigators were able to track Rick's cell phone to Ardmore, Okla. 

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol was able to stop Ricks for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and arrest him. 

According to Judy Ramos with the Hurst-Euless-Bedford independent School District, the 8-year-old was in the third grade at Spring Garden Elementary and the 12-year-old is a sixth grader.

Both children have attended the school since 2011 and, in a letter sent home to parents Thursday, the principal said the boys' grandmother worked at the school. 

NBC 5's Amanda Guerra, Ray Villeda, Shane Allen, Greg Janda and Frank Heinz contributed to this report.  Editor's note: A previous version of this story said Bedford police arrested Cedric Ricks.  He was arrested by Oklahoma Highway Patrol. We regret the error.

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$12,000 Custom Bike Stolen From Double-Arm Amputee

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Double-Arm Amputee Taking on Ironman

On Saturday Hector Picard will compete in his first full Ironman competition – and try to become the first double-arm amputee to start and finish an Ironman. He talks about what made him not quit after the electrical accident that cost him his arms, discusses his triathlon "addiction," and shares some inspirational words.

Latin heartthrob, Cristian de la Fuente stops by the set to talk to Roxanne Vargas about this years Nautica South Beach Triathlon and his efforts to help St. Jude.

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A Florida triathlon athlete who is a double-arm amputee says someone stole his custom bike early Thursday morning.

"It's only fitted, it's modified for me. You can't sell it. You can't ride it. You can't do anything with it," Hector Picard said. "So by stealing it, they are doing a lot more damage than they really know."

Picard, 46, who has completed 73 triathlons in the past four years, said his special bike is worth $12,000 – but it's worthless to anyone besides him. It's a Seven Axiom titanium road bike, he said.

"It's definitely obvious. The handlebars are different, the brakes are different," he said. "The body of the bike, the frame, is completely modified. I mean, a regular person won't be able to use it."

Picard was involved in a work-related electrical accident in 1992.

"I received an electrical shock 21 years ago," he said. "Thirteen thousands volts of electricity went through my body and caused the amputations and the burns."

The accident left him in a coma for four weeks. His entire right arm and half of his left one were amputated.

Cristián de la Fuente Takes on Triathlon To Help St. Jude's Hospital

But Picard didn't quit – and now his mission in life is to inspire. Last August he became the first double-arm amputee to start and finish an Ironman race, and he has completed two more Ironman competitions since then.

On June 8 he will set off on a 3,200-mile bike journey to Spokane, Washington to raise money for a little boy with no arms.

But with his bike stolen, Picard has to turn to his old bike. Picard said it is a lot more difficult for him to use – not to mention the hours he will have to spend repairing it.

"I struggle a little more. I'm still going to do it," he said. "I'm not going to let anything like this stop me."

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Picard isn't looking for donations, just his bike. Anyone with information is asked to call Fort Lauderdale Police.

He said he won't let his latest challenge slow him down.

"I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it," Picard said. "God willing, as long as I'm healthy, bike or no bike, I'm going to do this, and it would just be nice to have that bike back."

For more information on Picard and his cross-country ride, see his website, dontstopliving.org.

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Teacher Buys Student "Fifty Shades" for Reading Class

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A Philadelphia mother wants her son's high school teacher fired after he bought the teen the erotic novel "Fifty Shades of Grey" for in-class reading.

Maya Ladson says she was shocked to find a copy of the racy read in her 14-year-old's book bag back on March 9. That shock turned to outrage when she found out how he got the book.

"The minute I found out about it, it raised concern," the mother told NBC10.com Thursday. "This is not OK to me. This is major."

Ladson's son, who is a 9th grade student at Eastern University Academy Charter School in Philadelphia, asked for and was given the book by his teacher and adviser Philip Aidoo.

According to the school, Aidoo asked students for a list of books they would like to read during an independent reading period. Ladson's son's requested "Fifty Shades of Grey." Aidoo then went online and ordered the book.

Ladson acknowledges that her son asked for the book.

"It clearly states on the cover, that the book is for mature audiences and has high sexual content," Ladson said. "This was a 100-percent act of negligence. There should never be pornographic material purchased and distributed to a student by a school teacher."

Eastern University Academy Charter School Chief Operating Officer Yvonne Turner calls the teacher's actions a mistake.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Aidoo did not have an awareness of this popular book and ordered it with his own money," she said. Turner says Aidoo also ordered books for other students, all of which were G-rated.

"I find it highly unlikely that a teacher who teaches reading and has a classroom for sustained silent reading period is unaware of contents of material that he's giving to the students, let alone the material being pornographic material," Ladson told NBC10.com.

Once Aidoo's purchase was brought to the school's attention by Ladson, officials immediately launched an investigation, according to Turner.

Officials met with Ladson and Aidoo and made a recommendation of action against the teacher, which the school didn't disclose. Ladson said she was not satisfied with the recommendation and filed a grievance with the school's board of trustees. They heard the case and decided Wednesday to suspend the teacher for one week without pay.

Ladson says a suspension is not enough and wants Aidoo removed from the school.

"We all agree that it was a very serious mistake, however, it does not warrant a termination," Turner said.

After Ladson told officials about the Grey incident, the school held a meeting with the parents of all the teacher's students to notify them about the situation, according to Turner. Aidoo has taught math and advised at the 7th-12th grade school for several years.

"We heard nothing but high praises and support for Mr. Aidoo," Turner said. "We have to deal with these things in a fair and impartial way which the school has attempted to do."

Ladson says her son's education has been compromised. Turner says the school is putting together a plan to move the 14-year-old to another class for the next trimester. The school has also enacted a policy that officials must now approve any purchase intended for students, she says.

The school has been on break for the past month. Ladson says when classes resume on Monday, she plans to protest outside the school with other parents.

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Solar-Powered Plane Kicks Off Cross-Country Tour

Watch the Solar Impulse take off from Moffett Field in Mountain View just after 6:15 a.m. on May 3. The plane is bound for New York.

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Solar Plane Kicks off Cross Country Tour

A solar-powered plane - energized by the power of the sun - took off just as dawn broke Friday morning from Mountain View's Moffett Field on its first cross-country tour, bound for New York as its final destination. Bob Redell reports.

Raw Video: Solar Plane Flies Over Bay Area

One pilot is making a very slow 16-hour tour of the Bay Area Tuesday on board a plane that is run on the power of the sun.

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A solar-powered plane - energized by the power of the sun - took off just as dawn broke Friday morning from Mountain View's Moffett Field on its first cross-country tour, bound for New York as its final destination.

Considered the world's most advanced sun-powered plane, which only travels about 30 or 40 mph, the Solar Impulse has already taken successful test runs over California's Bay Area.

The point of the powering a plane with 12,000 photovoltaic cells, all powered by the sun, is to show the world that it can be done, and to inspire engineers to look for advances in clean tech.

"We're here to inspire," Swiss creator André Borschberg told NBC Bay Area before an earlier flight, adding that that he hoped this science and technology - and imagination - would trickle down to the "younger generation."

The plane has the wing span of a 747, but the weight of the mid-sized car. It can only carry one passenger who has to stay awake through the entire flight. On the longer flights, the pilot is allowed to take naps eight minutes at a time. There is no auto-pilot. 

The cockpit seat is the only seat in the plane, but it has a dual purpose and it equipped with a toilet.

The Solar Impulse was designed to show the potential of solar power. Its creators say it will never replace commercial flights.  The plane reaches a top speed of 43 mph and holds the record for  altitude for solar-powered planes at 30,300 feet, according to the company's  website. 

The Solar Impulse will first stop in Phoenix, and then head to Dallas, St. Louis, Washington, D.C.,  and New York. Each flight leg will take 20 to 25 hours, with 10-day stops planned in each city.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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5.5-Months Pregnant Sheriff’s Deputy Saves Drowning Teen

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Jenna Underwood Nunez saved a 17-year-old boy from drowning on April 27, 2013, in Silverwood Lake. She was 5.5 months pregnant and off duty at the time of the rescue.

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A 17-year-old boy will celebrate his high school graduation month thanks to a 5.5-months pregnant, off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy who rescued him from the bottom of a lake.

Deputy Jenna Underwood-Nunez was having dinner with her family in the Silverwood Lake campground in San Bernardino County when she heard screaming coming from the lake. A glance toward the water revealed frantic splashing about 200 yards away from the shore.

Authorities revealed the details of their colleague's harrowing April 27 rescue on Thursday.

"Placing herself and her unborn child at potential risk, Deputy Underwood sprang into action and immediately ran toward the drowning victim," Underwood's department said a statement.

Fully dressed, Underwood swam about 200 yards into the water to find the teen had already become fully submerged 15 feet below the surface. He was laying on lake bed.

Underwood dove to the bottom, pulled the victim up and then to shore, where she performed four cycles of CPR before the teen regained consciousness.

The boy was airlifted to the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

A six-year veteran of the force, Underwood works at the Century Regional Detention Facility.

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Wind, Lack of Water Complicate Fire Fight

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Home in Ellis County Destroyed by Fire

A home in Ellis County was destroyed by fire overnight. Wind and no nearby fire hydrants made battling the blaze difficult.

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Whipping winds and a lack of water made putting out a fire at a Ellis County home on Friday morning a tougher battle than usual.

Crews didn't have access to fire hydrants within a half-mile of the home on Dixie Lane near Waxahachie, complicating the fight. Neighbors said their concern is how long it took firefighters to arrive.

The homeowner made it out safely, but he's lost everything.  There's just a shell left of the brick house.  A car parked in what used to be the garage is torched.

"It was a raging inferno within 15 minutes.  The whole thing was engulfed," said neighbor Dixie Loving.

Loving woke up to her neighbor knocking on her door just after midnight.  The home across the street was up in the flames.  The man who lives there tells Loving that he'd been sleeping when the power went out. 

"The circuit breaker must have tripped because of the fire.  Then, there shouldn't be this glow. So, they left with what they had on, which wasn't much," said Loving. 
The flames forced the homeowner out into the cold as strong winds fueled the fire.

Loving called 911.

"We were all standing around.  There was nothing we could do, but wait," said Loving.

The rural neighborhood to the north of Waxahachie is covered by the Ellis County Emergency Services District 6 Volunteer Fire Department.

Waxahachie Fire Chief Ricky Boyd said that the city also responded to help, along with three other departments.

Loving believes it took about 45 minutes for crews to arrive.

"It was 45 minutes before.  The sheriff got here 15 minutes before the fire department.  Seems a little long to me.  Maybe I don't understand how volunteer fire departments work," said Loving.

When crews pulled up, the nearest fire hydrant is two streets away.  A county tanker had to bring in water.

The Waxahachie chief said response times are always a concern in and outside of the city, but limited water access is part of living in a rural area.

"It would have been better to break a window and put the hose inside.  At least it was something.  By the time help got here, it was gone," says Loving.

NBC 5 has put in an open records request with the county for fire crews exact response times.

The fire marshal said the fire started in the back porch area of the home and hopes to know exactly what sparked the fire by the end of the day on Friday.

The homeowner told neighbors he didn't have insurance.

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Allen Teen Fighting Video Investigated

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Allen police are investigating a brutal fight video posted on YouTube this week that allegedly shows several teens beating another.

The video, called A-Town Beatdown, was posted on the web site Wednesday and has since been removed.

In the video, as many as seven teens can be seen beating, kicking and yelling foul language at a boy who collapsed on the ground. The violence didn't end there.  The teens then followed the boy into another yard and renewed the attack.

In both instances, the fight was stopped by a girl who stepped in and covered the victim.

Should police be able to identify the people in the video, it's not clear what charges they may face.

In March, seven teens from Red Oak were cited for disorderly conduct for allegedly fighting in videos that were posted to YouTube.

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