See more of Justice For Ivan Cantu on Facebook. In the last few years, Texas has been one of only a handful of states that have carried out death sentences - and it continues to do so targeting the poor, the mentally ill and people of color.Please sign the petition asking Governor Abbott and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to do everything within their power to stop this execution, including issuing a stay, and seeking a path to clemency in the case. Not now. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The birth of my son. His public defenders did not investigate or do anything to defend him. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Independently produced podcasts or ones that focus on unheralded cases can easily fall under the radar. I was 45 years old and doing a criminal justice degree in Louisiana when I met Ivan Cantu. This feature has been discontinued. You can simply leave a voice message, or choose to speak to a representative if you prefer.Please note: In Texas, the Governor does have limited power when it comes to the death penalty. I was determined to help Ivan after I realised he was innocent, but I would have helped him regardless no one should face the death penalty. Booking Date(s) Default 1 Day Range. One episode even includes jailhouse calls with Hall and her mother, which portray her in a chilling new light. Why am I complicating our lives in this way? Ivan Cantu lived in an apartment with his girlfriend, Amy Boettcher, near where his cousin, James Mosqueda, lived with his fiancee, Amy Kitchen. Ivan Cantu was sentenced to death by the State of Texas for a double murder robbery. For some of us, nothing fills up free time quite like crime stories. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This article was published in collaboration with Vice. Cantu took the engagement ring that had belonged to Kitchen and gave it to Boettcher. Ivan is 44; Im 42. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. His response was immediate: Oh my goodness, no, he replied, solemnly. At the trial, the state argued that Cantu was motivated by greed and jealousy but, as in Serial, most of the case was actually built around the incriminating testimony from an informant: Cantus then-partner. La personne qui a lanc cette ptition a dcid d'agir. Cousins By Blood is a podcast investigation into a double homicide that took place in Dallas in the year 2000. Real-time campaign data for partners powered by HVR. In the course of my investigation I will highlight the mistakes, corruption, and apathy that plagues the legal sys. 12 Nicole Bass. So I answered a plea from the Community of SantEgidio, a worldwide Catholic prayer and charity organization, to write a letter of solidarity to a mentally-disabled death row prisoner named Johnny Paul Penry. Facebook gives people the power to share. He knows how to get the job done fast, accurately and right on target. LISE OLSEN:Ruben Cantu's mother is indeed still alive, and inside the doorway of her house in Floresville, Texas, there's a sort of an altar/monument to Ruben: two pictures she took of him on . Just a stack of words on paper, they are also a chronicle of the past 13 years: descriptions to him of my travels as a development consultant; his accounts to me of trying to get innocence projects, journalists, and attorneys to listen to his case. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Still, it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff amid the proliferation of productions not all true crime podcasts get the attention thats lavished on S-Town or Serial. Texas' aggressive execution schedule marks it as an outlier in its use of the death penalty while the majority of other states are on a downward trend of executions. Now 20 years later, questions about Ivan's guilt or innocence remain and the case has been reinvestigated. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. I held a giant white binder and read from it, as if it were a movie script. Ivan did not receive a fair trial. Boettcher also said that when she saw Cantu on the night of the murder, his socks and pants were bloody. He is now on death row, and for 13 years I have been his loyal friend. And because we are friends, we also talked about the mundane: music, books, NPR shows, anything to get his mind off the bleakness of solitary confinement. According to court documents [] Tests showed thatthe blood on his clothing belonged to Mosqueda. New suspects are uncovered, new evidence has been discovered, and the clock is ticking to Ivan's Execution Day. Both were found guilty; at his trial, Pitonyak claimed he didnt remember the killing, so what actually happened and why remains murky to this day. We call that "spending the weekend together". Ivan and I wrote to each other during the next year and Ibegan helping him with his appeal. On November 3, 2000, a 22-year-old woman named Amy Kitchen went out for dinner at the El Rancho restaurant in Dallas, Texas, with her father, Jerry, and her fianc, James Mosqueda. Executing Ivan Cantu when there are numerous concerns about the veracity of the case against him is utterly irresponsible. Ivan's trial counsel called no witnesses for the defense and presented no evidence of his innocence. But Andreacchios mother didnt believe he had killed himself, and suspected foul play. I still have a life to live. Ivan Cantu, Death Row Inmate TDCJ#00999399 When 21-year old Christian Andreacchio was found dead in his apartments upstairs bathroom, the police immediately ruled the death a suicide. He had learning . No matter what, you can always turn to The Marshall Project as a source of trustworthy journalism about the criminal justice system. Cantu then told Boettcher that he was going to their house to kill them, but Boettcher did not believe him. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Here are some under-the-radar podcasts making waves with true crime obsessives. But back in 2004, I had been inspired by progressive Catholics to reach out to someone on death row. One day my daughter and Iwere shopping and I was looking at cards for Ivan and she said: "Were you ever going to tell me you loved this guy?" As I read more about the crime, I didn't think he could have done it. To learn more about Ivan's case, head over to the Cousins By Blood Podcast. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 My Crime Library | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Someone had known he would be out and had planted the jeans. I'd written to aman on death row in Texas whose story I was interested in for my course. Can we count on your support today? ***Ivan Cantu has a scheduled Execution Date of April 26th 2023*** Cousins By Blood is a true crime podcast investigation, unfolding episode by episode. . Paradise, a haunting narrative of their demise, is one of the darkest true crime podcasts out there. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Ivan and I wrote to each other during the next year and Ibegan helping him with his appeal. The podcast is narrated by Duff, who uncovers potentially planted evidence, new information impeaching the testimony of Cantus girlfriend, and plenty of other suspects from the cousins shadowy underworld ties. Join organizations large and small who've made the switch! While Ivan Cantu and Amy Boettcher were on their way to Arkansas to visit her parents and announce their engagement, the murdered bodies of James and Amy Kit. There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. The Associated Press contributed to this report. It didnt cost me anything, and I knew it would cost him everything if he really was innocent and no one listened. But the person presented at trial doesnt match the one I know: a friendly and intelligent man who cuts out New Yorker cartoons and tapes them to his typewritten letters. Ivan Cantu would steal the victims jewelry and vehicle. Ivan Cantu (Paul Adams) by Dani Clark But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. - Trial counsel conceded his guilt during the closing argument. His struggle to live alone 23 hours a day. This information does not infer or imply guilt of any actions or activity other than their arrest. It's not something I want to do, but I won't let him die alone. But the fact is that the governor appoints the members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles. In June 2006, eight visits after we first met, Ivan sent me a letter saying he loved me. He also was indictedin the slaying of Amy Kitchen, 22, Mosqueda's girlfriend. Death row was a horrifying place. He should have another trial. I still have a life to live." Ivan Cantu, Death Row Inmate TDCJ#00999399 We are further concerned that while the vast majority of states with capital punishment continue on a downward trend of executions, Texas has continued to go against trend by carrying on an aggressive execution schedule - targeting the poor, the mentally ill and . Ivan Cantu maintains his innocence over the murder of his cousin. He is an inexhaustible source of creative ideas. In other death row news, although Attorney General Greg Abbott strongly endorsed a measure to ensure DNA testing of biological materials in all death penalty cases prior to trial - a measure (SB 1292) that easily passed through the Lege this spring - the state is nonetheless still fighting efforts by condemned inmate Larry Swearingen to obtain DNA testing on key . This website uses cookies for personalisation. We do not control or endorse the conduct of users and make no representations of any kind about them. Eventually I arranged to visit him. But I know you have to ask that, I get it.. Ivan Cantu was sentenced to death by the State of Texas for a double murder robbery. How can a person be executed without receiving all the evidence to defend them self? Now 20 years later, questions about Ivan's guilt or innocence remain and the case is being reinvestigated. Ivan Cantu was wrongfully convicted in 2001 for Capital Murder. According to court documents Ivan Cantu would fatally shoot his cousin and a woman during a botched robbery. I had to keep reminding myself that this happened on a November evening in Dallas, all of this happened. I am overwhelmed by all the evidence against Ivan. I knew that immersing myself in the details of the crime would mean trying to understand both sides, asking tough questions, and entertaining possibilities about Ivan that Id never allowed myself to. We encourage responsible activism, and do not support using the platform to take unlawful or other improper action. Alessa Dominguez is a senior culture writer for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York. Yes, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles must recommend clemency in that state in order for the Governor to grant clemency (mercy) by commuting a death sentence. This entire time, Ivan has never been been given all the evidence into the investigation of this case. To: Page 3 of 3 First 1 2 3. (0 members and 1 guests). I never planned to be in this situation, to be friends with . Such was the intensity and proximity of Cantu's gaze that even the normal business of glancing down to check recording levels was . Ivan Cantu Texas Death Row. I feel I'm in a prison, too. The rest of my family think I'm crazy, but my daughter has met Ivan and likes him. Ivan Cantu was sentenced to death by the State of Texas for a double murder robbery. Join Facebook to connect with Ivan Cantu and others you may know. But when the material arrived (a thumb drive along with printed documents), I started devouring all of it whenever I could during my crowded bus rides home through downtown D.C., and sitting up in bed, late into the night, after my son had gone to sleep. Ivan Cantu left his apartment with his gun and returned an hour later driving Kitchens Mercedes. It is one element of faith. Perhaps cultivating doubt in Ivans story is part of having faith in him. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I never asked too much about the murders, never wanting to delve into that darkness. I felt I knew him from his letters he'd been very open in them. If we're unsuccessful, Iwill be there for Ivan the day he is executed by lethal injection. 12-17-2022, 07:51 AM #28. kabe1979. ***Ivan Cantu has a scheduled Execution Date of April 26th 2023*** Cousins By Blood is a true crime podcast investigation, unfolding episode by episode. Cantu believes he received a raw deal from his own defense counsel, as well. Rather than investigate potential witnesses and evidence which would have supported Ivan's innocence or challenge the State's case, trial counsel conceded Ivan's guilt before the jury, thereby rendering constitutionally ineffective counsel. They also talk to Pitonyak and his parents as they grapple with how a National Merit scholar could have committed such a heinous crime. Once the door to his pod is locked, he sits on a chair and pushes his . For over 3 years, the Cousins By Blood Podcast has investigated Ivan's capital murder case and innocence claim. But one of the first things I asked that visit was whether he had killed those people. I was expecting a scrawny mobster type, but when they brought him in, I fell in love. Cousins By Blood is a true crime podcast investigation, unfolding episode by episode. They interview Caves family to humanize her and give more context to her life and relationship with Pitonyak. "I never committed murder, and I want to prove it to the world, prove it to the Mosquedas, the Kitchens, and come home. Ivan Cantu would steal the victims jewelry and vehicle. 2 yr. ago. She says she sees how much he loves me. The philosopher and theologian Paul Tillich once wrote, Doubt is not the opposite of faith. Weve never been able to touch.' Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. That day Ivan and his girlfriend had taken a trip to Arkansas. Later that same night, the state of Texas says, James' cousin, Ivan Cantu motivated by his relative's drug debt and his own greed and jealousy killed Amy and James in an execution-style double murder. Ivan wanted me to date and beable to have sex he said I had tolive my life. He has very kind, loving eyes. Photograph: Beady Fontenot. He can still use his position of power and influence to enact justice in the State of Texas. They were last heard from in Belize, where they got on the boat of Silas Duane Boston, ready for yet another leg of their excursion. - According to multiple forensic pathologists, there is at least a 6 hour difference in the victims time of death and when the states star witness testified the murders occurred. I often try to imagine what that meal was like: Amy chatting with her dad about the classes she was taking in nursing school, the plans she had to go shopping with her mother the next day. or. He also says theres a picture of my family, which I sent him years ago, taped to the wall of his cell. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Nice. Email experience@theguardian.com, 'I certainly never imagined I would fall for someone on deathrow', Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 'Death row inmates get virtually no phone privileges, so calling hasnt been an option. Much about the murders, never wanting to delve into that darkness his girlfriend had a! Their house to kill them, but when they brought him in, I fell love! Response was immediate: Oh my goodness, no, he replied, solemnly of Kitchen! Governor appoints the members of the case is being reinvestigated job done,. Of all the evidence into the investigation of this case has met Ivan Cantu left apartment. Stored in your browser only with your consent now on death row all the evidence the. 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