Dallas, Texas – On Wednesday, Ivan Cantu was executed in Texas for the murder of his cousin, James Mosqueda, and Mosqueda’s girlfriend, Amy Kitchen, back in November 2000. Cantu, 50, was administered a lethal injection by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice at 6:47 pm local time without any reported issues during the process, lasting approximately 21 minutes.
Despite maintaining his innocence up to the moment of his execution, Cantu addressed the families of the victims in his final speech, proclaiming that he did not commit the murders. However, prosecutors argued that Cantu was responsible for the deaths of Mosqueda, who was involved in illegal drug activities, and Kitchen, as he allegedly attempted to steal drugs and cash from his cousin’s home in North Dallas.
Throughout the years, Cantu’s defense attorney disputed the prosecution’s claims, pointing to false testimonies presented by key witnesses who have since recanted their statements. The defense also presented newly discovered evidence suggesting that Mosqueda was targeted and killed by rivals who also threatened Cantu over his cousin’s alleged debts.
Even the foreman of the jury that convicted Cantu in 2001 expressed doubts about his guilt, requesting a delay in the execution for further investigation. Despite a petition from MoveOn.org with nearly 150,000 signatures urging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to stop the execution, it proceeded as scheduled.
Notably, capital punishment remains a controversial issue, with 23 states in the US having abolished it, while others have placed a hold on its use, including Arizona, California, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Cantu’s execution comes shortly after the first-ever use of nitrogen gas in an execution in US history, carried out on Alabama inmate Kenneth Smith.