Ivan Cantu

{{Short description|American convicted murderer (1973–2024)}}

{{distinguish|Ruben Cantu}}

{{Infobox criminal

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| name = Ivan Cantu

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| image = Ivan Cantu.jpg{{!}}border

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| caption = Mugshot of Cantu taken by TDCJ

| birth_name = Ivan Abner Cantu

| birth_date = {{birth date|1973|6|14}}

| birth_place = Dallas, Texas, US

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|2|28|1973|6|14}}

| death_place = Huntsville Unit, Huntsville, Texas, US

| death_cause = Execution by lethal injection

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| conviction_penalty = Death

| conviction_status = Executed

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| conviction = 2001
Capital murder (two counts)

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| trial_start = August 15, 2001

| trial_end = October 26, 2001

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| victims = James Edwin Mosqueda, 27
Amy Michelle Kitchen, 22

| date = November 4, 2000

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| country = United States

| states = Texas

| locations = North Dallas

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Ivan Abner Cantu (June 14, 1973 – February 28, 2024) was an American man from Dallas, Texas, convicted of the double murder of his cousin, James Mosqueda and Mosqueda's girlfriend, Amy Kitchen, who were shot in their home. The shooting occurred on November 4, 2000, in North Dallas. Cantu was found guilty by a Collin County jury on October 16, 2001. The evidence that was used in his conviction was later deemed to be questionable by his supporters, including the claims that one of the only two key prosecution witnesses had admitted he had lied. His case was championed by well-known anti-capital punishment campaigner Sister Helen Prejean and in a podcast by legal campaigner Matt Duff.https://www.texasobserver.org/matt-duff-podcastings-new-poirot/

Cantu maintained his innocence until his execution at the Huntsville Unit on February 28, 2024. There were calls by politicians such as Joaquin Castro and his brother Julian Castro, celebrities such as Jane Fonda, Kim Kardashian and Martin Sheen, as well as organizations such as Amnesty International, for his case to be reviewed.{{Cite web |last=Linares |first=Albinson |last2=Telemundo |first2=Noticias |date=2024-02-29 |title=Texas executes Ivan Cantu, who denied killing 2 people |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/texas-inmate-ivan-cantu-denied-killing-2-people-executed-rcna141069 |access-date=2024-03-01 |work=NBC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Killough |first=Dakin Andone, Ed Lavandera, Ashley |date=2024-02-28 |title=Texas executes Ivan Cantu, who claimed innocence in 2000 double murder |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/28/us/texas-execution-ivan-cantu/index.html |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Congressman, former jurors call for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to halt Ivan Cantu's execution |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2024/02/28/ivan-cantu-execution-texas-death-row-inmates-jurors-joaquin-castro-call-for-delay-gov-greg-abbott/72774236007/ |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=Austin American-Statesman|first=Bayliss|last=Wagner |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Melhado |first=William |date=2024-02-28 |title=Texas executes Ivan Cantu for Dallas murders despite doubts of his guilt |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/28/texas-execution-ivan-cantu/ |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=The Texas Tribune |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Miles |first=J. D. |last2=Jenkins |first2=S. E. |date=2024-02-28 |title=Convicted murderer Ivan Cantù executed in Texas|work=CBS News Texas |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/convicted-murderer-ivan-cantu-executed-in-texas/ |access-date=2024-03-01 |language=en-US}}{{cite news|date=February 29, 2024|title=Texas executes Ivan Cantu for double murder despite protests of innocence|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/29/texas-executes-ivan-cantu-lethal-injection|access-date=August 10, 2024}}

In 2025, a 60-year-old Morgan Stanley project manager, also called Ivan Cantu, was reportedly suing Kim Kardashian. Kardashian, who had posted on Instagram about Cantu's execution at the time, had mistakenly used a photo of the wrong Ivan Cantu in her post. The project manager Cantu said in a statement on social media, "To all my friends and family, I am not getting executed. Some idiot who runs @kimkardashian used my picture instead of Ivan "Abner" Cantu." According to his lawyer, he has been in treatment since the incident happened and is suing Kardashian for libel, slander, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, negligence, and representing him in a false light.{{cite news|last=Rohrlich|first=Justin|date=February 21, 2025|title=Kim Kardashian sued by man she misidentified on Instagram as death row inmate|work=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/kim-kardashian-ivan-cantu-death-row-lawsuit-b2702473.html|access-date=February 23, 2025}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}

! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in Texas

{{s-bef|before=David Santiago Renteria|before2=

November 16, 2023
}}

{{s-ttl|title=Ivan Cantu|years=February 28, 2024}}

{{s-aft|after=Ramiro Felix Gonzales|after2=

June 26, 2024
}}

|-

! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in the United States

{{s-bef|before=Kenneth Eugene SmithAlabama|before2=

January 25, 2024
}}

{{s-ttl|title=Ivan Cantu – Texas|years=February 28, 2024}}

{{s-aft|after=Willie James PyeGeorgia|after2=

March 20, 2024
}}

{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cantu, Ivan}}

Category:1973 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:21st-century American criminals

Category:21st-century executions by Texas

Category:American male criminals

Category:Criminals from Texas

Category:American people executed for murder

{{US-crime-bio-stub}}

Category:People convicted of murder by Texas

Category:People executed by Texas by lethal injection

Category:Hispanic and Latino American people