DALLAS, Texas — A Texas man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to the brutal murder of his wife in 2023.
On Wednesday, July 31, Waller County Criminal District Attorney Sean G. Whitmore announced that Jared James Dicus had reached a plea agreement for the murder of his wife, Angie Diaz.
The couple had been married only three months when Diaz’s parents-in-law discovered the 21-year-old’s mutilated body in a home that was apparently theirs.
At a press conference at the time, Waller County Sheriff Troy Guidry said that Discus’ father “immediately called police” after discovering Diaz’s body. Discus allegedly admitted to killing her during police questioning.
According to a press release from the Whitmore Corrections Center, Dicus will serve his 40-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Division of Prisons.
Concerns about Dicus’ mental competency arose during the pretrial phase of the case, but a court-ordered evaluation found him fit to stand trial.
According to the announcement, Dicus waived his right to appeal his sentence, his punishment and any potential defenses to the prosecution, including later seeking an insanity defense.
Diaz’s family was informed of the terms of the plea agreement before it was signed.
Dicus will be eligible for release in 2043. However, the district attorney said, “eligibility for parole does not automatically mean that parole will be granted.”
At the time of Diaz’s murder, Guidry said police had been called to the former couple’s apartment before, but “never anything of this level of violence.”
The sheriff said the crime will have long-term effects on both families.
“I can only say that this is the world we live in today. It’s a cruel scene and this will have an impact on both families, both suspects and victims,” Gudry said.
“It’s a horrifying story. It’s a horrific crime. At this stage we hope that everything will be resolved for the best,” he added.
Multiple sources said Diaz had been decapitated.
Gudry said at a press conference last year that authorities came across “dismembered body parts and a blood-stained residence.”
“Waller County does not tolerate domestic violence,” the district attorney said Wednesday.
“Heinous crimes like this will not go unpunished. We seek justice for victims of domestic violence and send a message to perpetrators that we will fight for them,” Whitmore said Wednesday. “The District Attorney’s Office also thanks the Waller County Sheriff’s Office for their thorough investigation and service to the victim’s family and the people of Waller County.”
Photo from PEOPLE
