Death Row in Texas: Meet the 7 Women Awaiting Their Fate
Texas is one of the states where the death penalty is still used. That means that some people are sentenced to die for their crimes. Right now, there are seven women on Texas' death row. Each has a different story about how they got there, but all their stories are serious and sad.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice keeps a webpage database of these dangerous women. Their stories can help us understand why such penalties are used and what happens when crimes are grave. Here are their stories.
LOOK: MEET THE 7 WOMEN AWAITING THEIR FATE ON TEXAS DEATH ROW
Linda Carty - Linda was born in St. Kitts and Nevis. She was sentenced in 2002 for kidnapping and killing a 25-year-old woman in Houston to take her baby.
Brittany Holberg - Brittany was found guilty in 1996 of robbing and killing an 80-year-old man in Amarillo. He was hurt badly, with more than 60 stabs.
Darlie Routier - Darlie is known because she was said to have killed her two sons in Rowlett in 1997. She says someone else did it.
Erica Sheppard - Erica got her sentence in 1995. She helped in robbing and killing a woman in Houston. She has had a hard life.
Kimberly Cargill - In 2010, Kimberly was sentenced for killing a woman in Whitehouse who was going to speak against her in court over her child.
Melissa Lucio - Melissa was the first Hispanic woman to get the death penalty in Texas. In 2008, she was found guilty of hurting and killing her two-year-old daughter in Harlingen.
Taylor Parker - In October 2020, Parker murdered a 21-year-old pregnant woman to take her unborn child.
These seven women on Texas' death row show us different life stories that led to the toughest punishment the law can give. Each woman's situation is unique, and makes us think about big questions like what is fair, and whether people can change. Digging into their stories helps spark discussion on whether the death penalty is right or wrong. These stories help us understand the tough issues a bit more clearly.
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Gallery Credit: Renee Raven
