Robert Sparks, Texas

Robert Sparks was married to Chare Agnew and step-father to her children, two boys aged nine and ten, and two girls aged 12 and 14. On September 17, 2007, Sparks stabbed his wife, Chare, 18 times while he held his hand over her mouth. She died from the injuries. Sparks then woke the youngest boy, Harold Sublet, Jr., and took him into the kitchen, where Sparks stabbed Harold at least 45 times.

Sparks then woke up 10-year-old Raekwon and also took him into the kitchen. Sparks killed Raekwon, also by stabbing him to death. Sparks then took the bodies of the two boys into the living room and covered them with a blanket. Sparks woke the two girls, told them about the murders, raped them on the living room couch, and showed them their brothers’ bodies.

Sparks forced the girls to stay with him while he showered. Sparks apologized to the girls for raping them and told them that he killed their mother and brothers because Chare was trying to poison him. He also blamed the girls for the deaths. Eventually, Sparks barricaded the girls inside the closet in the bedroom with the body of their mother.

Sparks left the home and went to the house of a former girlfriend, to whom he confessed to the crime. The former girlfriend begged Sparks to turn himself into the police. Sparks eventually called the police and confessed, but did allow police to catch him. Sparks took a bus to Austin, Texas, under an assumed name. Sparks returned to Dallas, Texas a few days later, and again contacted the police, who arrested him.

Upon his arrest, Sparks asked to be tested for poison and provided several samples for testing. However, the lab that received the samples were unable to perform the tests, and investigators were unable to locate a lab with the ability to perform the tests.

Please pray for peace and healing for the family of Chare, Harold, and Raekwon, and for the two surviving girls. Please pray for strength for the family of Robert.