FORT WORTH, Texas — For weeks, Mary and Cecil Hanshaw waited desperately for their daughter Maricruz Reyes Mathis to call.
“I had that little bit of glimpse of hope,” said Mary. “Lord, you let that phone ring, and I could pick it up and hear her voice.”
Their daughter, 33-year-old Reyes-Mathis, was a sister and mother to a young boy.
Her parents told WFAA they adopted her when she was 9 years old. They said she recently left her husband and was living on her own. She struggled on and off with drug addiction and had gone missing before, but they always heard from her.
“She'd call and say, ‘Yeah, I’m here. Don’t worry about it,'” said Cecil.
But this time, their phone went silent for several weeks. Her mother, Mary, knew that something was wrong.
“I just couldn’t imagine where she was. I worried every night and prayed about where she put her head,” said Mary.
Her parents told WFAA they called police, hospitals in the area, and rehabilitation facilities. In the past, she would call them after checking into rehabilitation centers. This time, her phone call never came.
This week, the Fort Worth Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Reyes-Mathis was the third victim found dismembered and burned in a Fort Worth dumpster in September. They identified the two other victims as 42-year-old David Lueras and 34-year-old Lauren Phillips.
“It’s not fair. It’s just not right,” said Mary.
Jason Thornburg is the suspect charged with capital murder of multiple persons, including Reyes-Mathis.
According to court records, Thornburg told police he did this for religious reasons and that he was being called to commit sacrifices.
Maricruz's parents told WFAA that their daughter Reyes-Mathis was staying at the Mid City Inn in Euless, the same place where Thornburg also lived. Her parents said their daughter never mentioned Thornburg, and they don’t believe she knew him.
“She just ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Mary.
“I really believe that he deserves the death penalty,” said Mary. “Please, don’t let him out on the street again.”
She said no parent should ever have to lose their child this way. Mary and Cecil described Reyes-Mathis as a caring and bubbly person. Growing up, she loved going to church and was involved in youth programs and helping seniors. They said that even as she battled addiction, she always looked out for others.
Now, they’ll never get to see their daughter again.
“There won’t be anything at Christmas and Thanksgiving,” said Mary. “She loved the holidays and she loved to put the Christmas hat on and act silly and smile… and the phone won’t ring again.
That’s what hurts them the most.