Midland man sentenced to life in prison after 2015 hotel stabbing

MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) - A 51-year-old Midland man was sentenced to life in prison Friday afternoon, after a week-long jury trial.

According to Midland County District Attorney Laura Nodolf, Edward Briceno was found guilty by a jury late Thursday afternoon for a murder that happened in 2015.

Briceno then elected to have the judge assess his punishment rather than the jury.

The evidence presented in the case showed that Briceno was a temporary resident at America’s Best Value Inn, located near the intersection of Bankhead Highway and Midkiff Road in Midland, back in January 2015.

Dedrick Lewis from Grand Prairie, was a guest at the hotel. Sometime in the early morning hours of January 20th, an interaction at the hotel between Briceno and Lewis resulted in Lewis lying dead on the floor of his hotel room with over twenty stab wounds and cuts from a serrated kitchen knife more than eight inches in length.

Law enforcement witnesses testified that it was among the bloodiest, if not the bloodiest, crime scene they had ever encountered.

DNA evidence linked Briceno to the stabbing, and he was arrested the same day.

At trial, Briceno argued he was defending himself against an armed attack by Mr. Lewis, but a lack of any other weapons at the crime scene led to the jury rejecting his claim.

It is believed Briceno was heavily intoxicated on drugs, alcohol, or both, at the time of the killing.

The trial was delayed for many years due to mental health issues evidently resulting from Briceno’s drug use.

Briceno will serve at least 30 years before he is eligible for parole. Parole eligibility is not a guarantee that parole will be granted.