Huntsville Inmate Ivan Cantu Executed Amid Controversy Over Conviction Evidence

HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Ivan Cantu, an inmate who maintained his innocence for more than two decades in the murders of his cousin and his cousin's girlfriend, was executed on Wednesday evening by lethal injection. FOX26 Houston reported that he was pronounced dead at 6:47 p.m. at the state penitentiary in Huntsville.

Despite last-ditch efforts by his legal team and a mix of public figures, advocates, and jurors from his trial, calling into doubt the evidence that led to his conviction, the 50-year-old was put to death for the November 2000 shooting of James Mosqueda, 27, and Amy Kitchen, 22. "Our Last Hope is Abbott," Sylvia Cantu, the mother of Ivan Cantu, told CBS News Texas, referring to the Texas governor who took no action to stay the execution.

Cantu was the first person Texas executed this year, with prosecutors arguing that he killed his cousin over drugs and money, and went on to murder Kitchen to eliminate a witness. According to documents from the Collin County District Attorney's office, Cantu was found with incriminating evidence such as bloody jeans and the key to the victims' home at his apartment, while Mosqueda's blood was found on Cantu's gun.

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis remained steadfast in his belief that justice had been served, stating in a recent interview, "I think first and foremost I'm relieved for the victims' families," and insisted that the evidence was overwhelming of Ivan Cantu's guilt. As reported by FOX26 Houston, Willis' office rebutted claims of new evidence, saying "none of it destroys the cornerstones of the State's case."

Cantu's defenders pointed to alleged false testimony and new evidence they argued corroborated Cantu's account of a rival dealer killing his cousin. Three jurors from the 2001 trial later expressed doubts about the case, and their requests for a delay in execution were denied. Celebrities and civic leaders, including Kim Kardashian and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, also rallied in support of efforts to stay his execution or introduce new evidence. In his final statement, obtained by FOX26 Houston, Cantu professed his innocence and thanked those who supported him, saying, "But I would especially like to thank Matt Duff for believing in me and digging deep and unraveling the case that he did to prove to the world that I do not belong on this gurney."

Another Texas death row inmate is scheduled for execution in two weeks, following the state's protocol of carrying forward with capital punishment sentences.