Texas executes Ivan Cantu for the murders of his cousin and his cousin’s fiancée in 2000

Ivan Cantu, a Texas inmate convicted over 20 years ago for fatally shooting two people, including his cousin, was executed Wednesday evening at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. Cantu maintained his innocence until his death, claiming that false testimony and questionable evidence led to his conviction.

The execution proceeded despite efforts to delay it, including appeals and petitions from Cantu’s attorney, faith leaders, celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Martin Sheen, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, and former U.S. Housing Secretary Julian Castro. Even three jurors from Cantu’s trial expressed doubts about the case and requested a delay.

Cantu’s conviction stemmed from the November 2000 shootings of his cousin, James Mosqueda, and Mosqueda’s girlfriend, Amy Kitchen, at Mosqueda’s home in north Dallas. Prosecutors argued that Cantu killed Mosqueda during a drug-related dispute and shot Kitchen because she was a witness.

The case against Cantu was based on evidence such as bloody jeans with the victims’ DNA found in his apartment, Mosqueda’s blood on Cantu’s gun, and witness testimony from Cantu’s then-girlfriend, Amy Boettcher.

Despite claims of innocence and new evidence presented by Cantu’s defense, including statements from witnesses corroborating his version of events, courts consistently upheld his conviction and denied requests for a stay of execution.

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis, who prosecuted Cantu, maintained that the evidence presented at trial proved Cantu’s guilt beyond doubt.

The execution proceeded after Cantu’s attorney stated she couldn’t find a viable path for appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted against commuting Cantu’s sentence or granting a reprieve.

Cantu’s case drew significant attention due to the questions surrounding his conviction and the efforts to halt his execution. However, despite the appeals and doubts raised, Cantu was executed, becoming the first in Texas this year and one of two scheduled executions in the U.S. on that day.