Guilty plea

Fox jailed for life; no possibility of parole

Debby Schamber

Martin Edward Fox, 42, pleaded guilty Wednesday on capital murder charges and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Christina Marie Adams, 27, and Candy Renee Fox, 40, turned into their driveway about 12:30 a.m. on a hot June night at 4575 East Railroad in Vidor. Also in the vehicle was the Fox’s 16-year-old son. Martin Fox who had been hiding and waiting with a loaded gun approached the vehicle and opened fire on the occupants. However, he first allowed his son to get his keys inside the house and leave the area. Fox first killed Adams by shooting her in the head and chest. He then started firing at Candy Fox. She didn’t die immediately, so he went to where she was sitting and began hitting her with his hands and feet. He then slashed her throat.

Their son flagged down an officer a short distance away and told them of the incident. Martin Fox has left the scene when officers arrived, but later turned himself into the Vidor Police Department. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Orange County Jail.

In court Fox remained quiet as one by one the victim’s family and friends gave a victim impact statement.

Cindy Rutledge, Adams’ mother, told everyone including Fox how special her daughter was to her.

“She was and will always be my baby girl,” Rutledge said.

Rutledge continued her statement with tears streaming down her face. Martin Fox stared straight ahead with a blank stare on his face.

“I started every morning by calling her to wake her up, now when I pick up the phone to call her, I can’t because she is not there,” Rutledge said.

Rutledge said she doesn’t want her daughter’s life to be just a file or cause number.

“She was a wonderful person,” she added.

Although, the sentencing is past them now, Rutledge admits there is the next phase to go through which is to through her daughter’s possessions.

Jana Blevins, Christina’s cousin, said she had met with Fox following the shooting where she had some answers she needed from him. Blevins asked if her cousin had any last words and Martin Fox had replied there were “not any last words because there was not time.”

Blevins said Fox had told her that he just wanted to get to Candy on that night because he was jealous and had nothing to lose because of the pending divorce.

Candy Fox was in the process of filing for divorce following a separation of about a year. The couple had been married for about 23 years.

Candy Fox and Adams were co-workers for several years at LifeShare Blood Centers in Beaumont. Candy Fox was the receptionist while Adams worked to ensure the blood products got to area hospitals.

Adams’ father, Dewayne Anderson Sr., also gave a statement and Fox appeared to be pay attention as he intermittently nodded his head in affirmation and looked toward him.

Anderson told Fox that he felt sorry for his children, but not because of Fox, but because they had lost a mother.

But, Anderson also angrily admitted he lays awake at night thinking of what he would like to do to Fox if he could.

Tom Ray, investigator for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, told the family and friends he had worked the case.

“It was difficult to listen to your victim impact statements without tears in my eyes,” Ray said to them. “This was a very difficult case to work.”

Ray said he had interviewed Martin Fox a few hours after the incident and he did not appear to be intoxicated. But, he was “delusional and in a state of rage.” Ray added Martin Fox did not know his son was with the women on the night of the incident.

“I honest to God don’t think he would have hurt Matthew,” Ray said.

Phillip Smith, Orange County Assistant District Attorney, said Martin Fox agreed to accept the life sentence without parole on the capital murder charges if the state of Texas would not pursue the death penalty.Fox also waived his right to appeal the sentence.

Smith said the family was aware of the agreement and knew going into it how they felt.

‘We knew it was going to be an emotional day and it certainly was,” Smith said. “Their emotions were raw and I think they go their point across that they were very upset.”

Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2609 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.