Man sentenced in gruesome domestic violence murder in Texas

A Texas man has been sentenced to four decades behind bars for murdering his wife last year. On July 31, DA Sean Whittmore announced that Jared Dicus had accepted a plea agreement for killing his wife, Anggy Diaz.

Dicus committed the crime just three months after their marriage. His parents discovered Diaz’s dismembered body on the floor of their home. Waller County Sheriff Troy Guidry reported that Dicus’ father immediately alerted the authorities upon finding the 21-year-old victim’s remains.

According to Sheriff Guidry, Dicus confessed to the murder during police questioning. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Institutional Division will oversee Dicus’ 40-year sentence, as stated by Whittmore in a press release.

Before the trial, questions about whether Dicus was mentally competent for a sentence were raised. However, doctors evaluated him and declared him fit to stand trial. By accepting the deal, Dicus forfeited his right to appeal or claim insanity later.

Whittmore confirmed that Diaz’s family was informed of the terms of the plea agreement before it was finalized. Dicus will be eligible for parole in 2043, though the district attorney emphasized that parole eligibility does not guarantee it will be granted.

Sheriff Guidry noted that while police had previously been called to the couple’s residence, none of the prior incidents approached “this level of violence.” He acknowledged the profound impact of this crime on both families involved.

Multiple reports indicated that the victim had been decapitated. Guidry described the crime scene as “gruesome,” stating that officers encountered “a portion of a body, dismembered, and a residence that was covered in blood.”

District Attorney Whittmore strongly condemned domestic violence, stating, “Waller County does not tolerate domestic violence.” 

“Heinous crimes like this one will not go unanswered, we will seek justice for the victims of domestic violence and send a message to the perpetrators that here, we fight for our victims,” Whittmore said. “The DA’s office also thanks the Waller County Sheriff’s Office for their thorough investigation and their service to the victim’s family and to the people of Waller County.”