A woman traveled over 8,000km from the UK to be with her death row husband, and she says his last words to her were ‘I love you queen, don’t give up’

Tiana Broadnax, the widow of Texas death row inmate James Broadnax, has shared the final words her husband said to her before his execution. Speaking to LADbible, she described their last meeting before he was put to death.

Tiana, who is originally from the UK, traveled over 8,000km to Texas to be with James. She met him online while working on a research project during her time at university, and photos of the couple together in prison were shared on James’s Facebook.

James was convicted of the murders of Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler in 2008, after the pair were shot and robbed outside a Dallas studio. He was convicted alongside his cousin, Demarius Cummings, and both men were 19 at the time of the shootings. James was sentenced to death while Cummings received life in prison without parole, and both denied the allegations.

Their final visit is one Tiana still remembers vividly

James was executed in May 2026, despite new evidence that surfaced in the case. Cummings later took full responsibility for the murders, and his DNA was reportedly found on both the murder weapon and the victims’ clothes.

Tiana campaigned to stop the execution using this information, but the couple’s pleas to change James’s conviction were unsuccessful. Cummings also released a video admitting his guilt, saying, “it was me, that I was the killer.” Questions about the death penalty have surfaced in other cases too, including one in which Christa Pike survived her execution attempt.

Tiana said she bought James his favorite Powerade and beef jerky during their final meeting because he could not eat. She urged him to eat something, but he was crying. She recalled him leaning back and telling her, “I never knew I was worthy of being fought for.” Tiana said it felt impossible to console someone in his last hours of life.

Tiana chose to be present at the execution. She said his final words to her were “I love you queen, don’t give up,” which he repeated. She said his head jerked back mid-sentence before he collapsed, and she screamed.