Tony Hicks, convicted at 14 for the 1995 killing of SDSU student Tariq Khamisa, has died at 45, the Tariq Khamisa Foundation said. After serving more than 24 years, Hicks was released in 2019 and worked with the Khamisa family to prevent youth violence, speaking widely about accountability and redemption. The foundation and retired Judge Joan Weber praised his remarkable transformation and the extraordinary reconciliation with Tariq's family. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Tony Hicks, Reformed Youth Convicted in 1995 Killing, Dies at 45 After Years of Restorative Work
Tony HicksCredit: The Tariq Khamisa Foundation
Tony Hicks, who was convicted of murder at 14 in the 1995 fatal shooting of San Diego State University student Tariq Khamisa, has died at 45, the Tariq Khamisa Foundation announced on July 30. The foundation said Hicks spent years speaking to young people about accountability, forgiveness and the far-reaching consequences of violence.
The foundation released a statement praising Hicks as "a powerful testament to courage, accountability, healing, and transformation," and thanked supporters for the outpouring of condolence on Instagram. The organization did not disclose a cause of death.
From Prison To Partnership
Hicks was 14 when he fatally shot 20-year-old Tariq Khamisa during a botched robbery in January 1995. Tariq, a journalism student who was delivering pizzas, had been lured to a false address and confronted by a group of teenagers. Hicks pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years to life in 1995.
After serving approximately 24 years and four months, Hicks was released in 2019. He worked as a plumber and joined the Tariq Khamisa Foundation's board, regularly speaking alongside Tariq's father, Azim Khamisa, to deter youth from violence and to promote restorative justice.
Tony Hicks with Tariq Khamisa's familyCredit: Mathew Iske
A Remarkable Reconciliation
"Tony's life was a powerful testament to courage, accountability, healing, and transformation," the foundation said. "His voice and his personal journey helped others see the humanity in each other, and led them to believe in the greater possibility of healing, forgiveness and change."
Nine months after Tariq's death, Azim Khamisa founded the Tariq Khamisa Foundation to honor his son and to prevent youth violence. Initially, Azim reached out to Hicks' grandfather, Ples Felix, who joined the foundation's outreach. Years later, Azim and Hicks met face-to-face at Folsom State Prison; Azim later described telling Hicks, "I've forgiven you."
Retired San Diego Superior Court Judge Joan Weber, who sentenced Hicks in 1995, told NBC San Diego she "started sobbing uncontrollably" on learning of Hicks' death and called his transformation "extraordinary," describing the reconciliation as one of the most exceptional acts of forgiveness she had witnessed.
Legacy
Hicks often spoke to schools and community groups about his past, remorse and the choices that can change lives. "Being able to work with the foundation ... has helped me greatly in my healing process," he told PEOPLE in prior interviews. The foundation said it will continue the outreach and healing work Hicks helped advance.
Details about Hicks' death beyond the foundation announcement were not released.
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