British grandmother on death row in Texas speaks to Susanna Reid in new ITV documentary

A British grandmother on death row in Texas for murdering her neighbour in a bid to steal her baby has insisted she had ‘nothing to do with this crime’ in a new ITV documentary, presented by Susanna Reid.

Linda Carty, 63, has been awaiting execution for 20 years after being convicted of killing young mother Joana Rodriguez and plotting to steal the victim’s newborn son, Ray, with three men.

Joana, 25, a neighbor, was taken from Joana Houston’s apartment together with her 4-day-old son. They were beaten to death, and Carty found them in Carty’s vehicle in 2001.

Carty, a native of St. Kitts and Nevis – which was a British territory when she was born, appears on tonight’s British Grandma On Death Row with Susanna Reid, which airs on ITV at 9pm. 

When asked by the host, ‘if you weren’t the one responsible, how did [it] happen?’, a tearful Carty replies: ‘I don’t know for sure because I wasn’t there.

‘But I can truthfully say, and I can truthfully look you in the eye, and tell you that I had nothing to do with this crime.’

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Linda Carty (pictured), 63, has been awaiting execution for 20 years after being convicted of killing young mother Joana Rodriguez and plotting to steal the victim’s newborn son, Ray, with three men

Carty (pictured left), a native of St. Kitts and Nevis – which was a British territory when she was born, appears on tonight’s British Grandma On Death Row with Susanna Reid (pictured right), which airs on ITV at 9pm

Neighbour Joana (pictured), aged 25, was kidnapped from her Houston apartment with her four-day-old son, suffocated to death and found in the boot of Carty’s car in 2001

‘The court heard Linda orchestrated the kidnap of her pregnant neighbour, Joana Rodriguez, equipped with scrubs and scissors, as she intended to cut the baby out. 

‘Linda didn’t know that Joana had already had her baby four days earlier. Joana and her tiny baby boy were kidnapped and Joana was suffocated to death,’ explains Susanna in the programme. 

The presenter travels to Texas to meet Carty, who continues to plead her innocence and has never moved from her stance of ‘not guilty’, despite the substantial evidence against her. 

Prosecutors claim Carty was so desperate for a baby that she sought to kidnap Joana and keep baby Ray for herself.

However, the documentary claims that there are many questions over the validity of the witnesses who testified against Carty at her trial, as their stories have changed since her conviction.

But despite several applications for appeal Carty remains behind bars awaiting the death penalty.

With access to police custody footage of Carty and one of the key witnesses, Susanna investigates the harrowing murder case. 

Answer the question of the host: “If you weren’t responsible, then how?” [it] happen?”What is the likelihood of that?”

She speaks to Carty’s daughter, ​​Jovelle Joubert, who candidly talks of the struggles of awaiting her mother’s execution on death row and admits she would not attend the execution of her mother. 

Lynn Hardaway, former Harris County Assistant District Attorney, recalls Carty’s conviction and says: ‘I don’t have any doubt she is guilty of this crime; all the evidence was consistent and had her as the ringleader and orchestrator of the whole offence.’

Hugh Southey, QC is a lawyer who has fought for Carty’s freedom for the past ten years. He claims that Carty did not receive adequate and high-quality representation during her murder trial.

Prosecutors stated that Carty was a Houston resident who lived for around 20 years when she was arrested. She recruited Ray Cabrera and two other men to abduct Joana. They wanted to save her marriage with Ray Cabrera by declaring the baby her own. Prior miscarriages had been her experience.

Carty was an ex-primary school teacher who was found guilty under Texas’ ‘laws of parties. This law stated that one is criminally responsible if he’solicits or encourages, directs and aids the other person in committing the offence. 

Carty (pictured), has claimed her innocence, arguing that her conviction was largely based on her co-accused.

Her innocence was maintained by her, arguing she was convicted mostly on the testimony of her coaccused. 

Ray and Joana were taken from their Houston apartment May 16 2001. 

His mother found the newborn uninjured in a car that day. Found dead in the car that Ms Carty was leasing with duct tape around her mouth, and a plastic bag around its head. 

Carlos Williams, Chris Robinson, Gerald Anderson were accused of being Carty’s accomplices. Carty was sentenced death row 

Sky News interviewed Carty in prison in Huntsville Prison Texas. She said she was ‘110 percent innocent’. 

While she claimed she was being framed, she said that she did not feel for the victims’ family.

She replied, “She is somebody’s child also and she’s somebodys daughter.” For me, it is not only healing but also a way to let families know that this person that I have hated for so many years, and who the state of Texas said was responsible for it, has not committed this crime.

Her execution date has not been set yet. Ruth Ellis was executed in 1955 as the last British female executionist. For shooting her lover in the face outside of a North London pub, she was executed.