Hayden Humphreys, 33, is facing nearly a decade in prison after pleading guilty Thursday to manslaughter in the death of 38-year-old Rudy Ricky Diaz, a wheelchair-bound man who had recently undergone the amputation of all his toes. Diaz died two weeks after the violent assault.
The attack took place late on July 23, 2022, when Humphreys, who had been drinking, encountered Diaz on a Houston street. Humphreys claimed Diaz asked him for money and then “stood up” in a threatening way after receiving some, prompting him to punch Diaz in self-defense.
Witnesses disputed Humphreys’ account. They told investigators they saw Humphreys “throwing haymakers” while straddling the unresponsive Diaz. Several witnesses also described Diaz as “harmless” and not a threat. Nearby video footage showed Humphreys “behaving erratically” immediately after the assault.
Emergency crews transported Diaz to a hospital, where he died about two weeks later from blunt-force trauma.
Prosecutors initially charged Humphreys with murder, but he later accepted a plea agreement for manslaughter. He is scheduled for formal sentencing on December 1 and faces up to eight years in prison.
Diaz’s brother, Benji Diaz, said he wished the sentence were longer, noting that people who prey on individuals unable to defend themselves “don’t deserve to be free.”
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