Ivan Cantu, a death row inmate in Texas, was executed for the 2000 murders of his cousin, James Mosqueda, and Mosqueda’s girlfriend, Amy Kitchen. Throughout his legal battle, Cantu maintained his innocence, claiming his conviction was based on false testimony and questionable evidence. Despite Cantu’s assertions, he was put to death via lethal injection on Wednesday.
The execution of Cantu sparked a significant outcry, drawing attention from celebrities like Kim Kardashian, who vocally supported him, believing he was framed for the killings. Kardashian, who is currently studying law, took to Instagram to express her belief in Cantu’s innocence and to offer prayers for his family and loved ones. However, her initial post about Cantu mistakenly featured a photo of a different person with the same name, leading to its removal and subsequent correction.
Kim Kardashian’s advocacy for Cantu included urging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to delay the execution and calling upon her followers to advocate for a stay of execution. Despite these efforts, Cantu’s execution proceeded as planned, with supporters continuing their attempts to suspend it up until the last moment in hopes of proving his innocence.
During his final moments, Cantu maintained his innocence, expressing his belief that he did not belong on death row. His spiritual adviser, Helen Prejean, offered prayers as he was executed, and Cantu’s supporters continue to push for further investigation into his case.
Cantu’s execution was the first in Texas for the year, part of two scheduled executions in the U.S. on that day. Meanwhile, efforts to halt another execution in Idaho earlier in the day were successful after medical complications arose during the procedure.
Despite Cantu’s continued insistence on his innocence, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis has maintained confidence in Cantu’s guilt, stating that no new evidence would change the foundation of the state’s case against him. Thus, Cantu’s execution proceeded, marking the end of a long legal battle filled with controversy and advocacy from various parties, including celebrities like Kim Kardashian.