Ivan Cantu was sentenced to death by the State of Texas for a double murder robbery. Now 20 years later, questions about Ivan's guilt or innocence remain and the case has been reinvestigated. Last year, when the court published a denial of Ivans previous appeal, I asked his wife, Tammy, to send me everything: the trial transcript, the crime scene photos, the legal documents, Ivans side of the story and any documentation from the investigations. A version of this story appeared in the Jan 1-14, 2016 print issue under the headline: Talking with Ivan, I found a flame of life on death row. Click here to learn more or change your cookie settings. - Trial counsel conceded his guilt during the closing argument. All Rights Reserved by Recently Booked. Death row inmates get virtually no phone privileges, so calling hasn't been an option. They lived in adjacent pods, as they are called on Texas death row, the Polunsky Unit. His face was swollen and a substance that looked like blood was on his jeans and in his hair. He is an inexhaustible source of creative ideas. His response was immediate: Oh my goodness, no, he replied, solemnly. I feel I'm in a prison, too. He is now on death row, and for 13 years I have been his loyal friend. The podcast also focuses on the behavior and motivations of Andreacchios then-girlfriend, who has since sued both the family and the podcast. Contact Justice For Ivan Cantu on Messenger. Nice. We're filing an appeal to the Supreme Court. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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 . 7 True Crime Podcasts To Listen To As You Self-Isolate, Unsolved Mysteries Is Like Watching A Reddit Thread Come To Life. The only picture I'd seen of Ivan was his mugshot online. The brutal yet seemingly motiveless murder shocked the community, especially after that friend, University of Texas student Colton Pitonyak, fled to Mexico with a fellow student, Laura Hall, once Caves body was found. New suspects will be uncovered, new . We are writing to ask that you to stop the April 26, 2023 execution of Ivan Cantu for the 2001 killings of James Mosqueda and Amy Kitchen. Cantu believes he received a raw deal from his own defense counsel, as well. In Cantus case, there is evidence that the states star witness committed multiple counts of perjury. I am overwhelmed by all the evidence against Ivan. Through chilling interviews with Bostons now-grown son, the truth about the couples last hours is laid bare. If we're unsuccessful, Iwill be there for Ivan the day he is executed by lethal injection. Now 20 years later, questions about Ivan's guilt or innocence remain and the case . Ivan Cantu was convicted of killing his cousin James and James's fianc Amy, but Ivan has maintained his innocence. I told my friends at the casino where I work that I was writing to Ivan as part of my law degree, but when I said it was developing into something more, they asked if I was sure. Photograph: Beady Fontenot. I certainly never imagined I would fall for someone on deathrow. In 2000, Ivan Cantu was arrested for the murders of his cousin James Mosqueda and Amy Kitchen, James's . Against Cantus wishes, the defense did not hire a private investigator, call any witnesses to dispute the states case, present any evidence on Cantus behalf, and conceded Cantus guilt in the closing The prosecution and investigating officers improperly coached witnesses and withheld evidence from the defense. The podcast is also available for downloads on all major podcast platforms. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 My Crime Library | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. Helmed by director Thea Sharrock, The One and Only Ivan is based on author K. A. Applegate's novel by the same name. For over 3 years, the Cousins By Blood Podcast has investigated Ivan's capital murder case and innocence claim. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Someone had known he would be out and had planted the jeans. Why doesnt this post mention that two officers went into cantus home the same morning, prior to obtaining the search warrant, the corvette was not there and there werent any bloody clothes?? - 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. The host, a BBC journalist, fleshes out the life of Farmer and Frampton through interviews with their families, including the formers sister, who wrote a book about the case. ***Ivan Cantu has a scheduled Execution Date of April 26th 2023*** Cousins By Blood is a true crime podcast investigation, unfolding episode by episode. 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. Ferez-vous la mme chose. Ivan has always maintained his innocence. Ivan is 44; Im 42. via:postimg.org . These cookies do not store any personal information. 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. April 15, 2021 mycrimelibrary.com 1 comment. 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. Police spoke with Cantus mother, then searched Ivan Cantu and Boettchers apartment. When 21-year old Christian Andreacchio was found dead in his apartments upstairs bathroom, the police immediately ruled the death a suicide. Ivan would help Johnny write letters, but he was looking for his own friends on the outside, too. I count on his letters and, he says, he counts on mine. Here are some under-the-radar podcasts making waves with true crime obsessives. In this episode, she discusses her fight to keep Ivan alive on death row. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. He is now on death row, and for 13 years I have been his loyal friend. Ivan Cantu was sentenced to death by the State of Texas for a double murder robbery. 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. They interview Caves family to humanize her and give more context to her life and relationship with Pitonyak. The film was released on Disney Plus on August 14, 2020. Additionally, police found Mosqueda's car at Cantu's apartment complex. But the fact is that the governor appoints the members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles. Then her apartment was set on fire. By continuing to browse and submitting your information, you agree to our use of cookies. Ivan Cantu would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death. A waitress arriving. Ivan Cantu. I'd written to aman on death row in Texas whose story I was interested in for my course. 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. The movie narrates the heartwarming story of a silverback lowland gorilla named Ivan who lived . This feature has been discontinued. Home; Search. It would have been an evening like any other except for the fact that it was the couples last. We call that "spending the weekend together". Every week or two I leave my house at 4am and make the four-and-a-half-hour trip to see him. The couple later drove to Arkansas to visit Boettchers parents, where they were when the bodies were discovered the following evening. La personne qui a lanc cette ptition a dcid d'agir. Weve never been able to touch.' Ivan Cantu, 38, who was condemned for killing his cousin in a robbery in 2000, received a stay of execution last week after the state filed a motion to withdraw his Aug. 30 execution date. Later that same night, the state of Texas says, James cousin, Ivan Cantu motivated by his relatives drug debt and his own greed and jealousy killed Amy and James in an execution-style double murder. Log In. Ivan Cantu was sentenced to death by the State of Texas for a double murder robbery. In his last appearance in 2011, Putski was still looking great and insanely jacked for a guy his age. US zip codes to cities powered by SimpleMaps.com. It didnt cost me anything, and I knew it would cost him everything if he really was innocent and no one listened. James, 27, leaning back, sipping a beer. Ivan Cantu was sentenced to death by the State of Texas for a double murder robbery. (0 members and 1 guests). Page 3 of 3 First 1 2 3. The case is new to me to. On the night of the murder, he returned to his apartment that he shared with his . He knows how to get the job done fast, accurately and right on target. It's tough. I was 45 years old and doing a criminal justice degree in Louisiana when I met Ivan Cantu. Dani Clark is a writer and editor at an international development organization in Washington, D.C. Well never put our work behind a paywall, and well never put a limit on the number of articles you can read. In The Orange Tree, named after the condominium where the crime took place, two journalism students at UT, who found all the major players in the case, attempt to understand what led to Caves murder. He also says theres a picture of my family, which I sent him years ago, taped to the wall of his cell. FkIzeGUXkAE8yqk.jpg FkIzsfsXwAEjKFu.jpg. Phone records showedsomeone was in his house the night after the murders. Jeans and socks with the victim's blood on them, found in Ivans trashcan; James Corvette found parked in front of Ivans apartment the day after the murder. Ivan's state habeas counsel failed to interview Ivan or conduct an independent investigation of the case. ** This post is showing arrest information only. Texas Death Row Inmates List. It's about a man on Texas death row Ivan Cantu here is t. But one of the first things I asked that visit was whether he had killed those people. 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. In summer 1997, Denise Johnson was killed in her home in the seaside North Carolina town of Kill Devil Hills. He was charged with CAPITAL MURDER IN COMM OF CITED OFFENSES. Ivan Cantu would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death. He brings vast creative experience to every task . But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The U.S. Supreme Court declinedto review an appeal from a Dallas man who shot and killed his cousin in a botched2000 robbery and is now on death row. Ive always believed his story, but only because I had no reason not to. Season 2 begins with the introduction of Ivan's biggest champion over the past 14 years, Ivan's wife Tammy. Cantu, Ivan Abner: TDCJ Number: 999399: Date of Birth: 06/14/1973: Date Received: 11/08/2001: Age (when Received) 28: Education Level (Highest Grade Completed) 12: . We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. He was 48 years old on the day of the booking. Cousins By Blood is a true crime podcast investigation, unfolding episode by episode. Eventually I arranged to visit him. So much does not add up. In June 2006, eight visits after we first met, Ivan sent me a letter saying he loved me. was 45 years old and doing a criminal justice degree inLouisiana when I met Ivan Cantu. Johnny wrote back and so did Ivan. Police also found Cantus gun at his ex-girlfriends house where Cantu and Boettcher had stopped on the way home from Arkansas. According to court documents Ivan Cantu would fatally shoot his cousin and a woman during a botched robbery. 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. Eventually I arranged to visit him. 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. Ivan Cantu, the 44-year-old prisoner Stevens has come to see, is led, handcuffed, behind the row of booths by three officers. The new Disney film The One and Only Ivan is a fantasy story for all ages. According to court documents Ivan Cantu would fatally shoot his cousin and a woman during a botched robbery. He can still use his position of power and influence to enact justice in the State of Texas. Donations from readers like you are essential to sustaining this work. 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. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-5th-circuit/1553912.html. Thankfully, were in a golden era of true crime storytelling, especially in podcast form. The philosopher and theologian Paul Tillich once wrote, Doubt is not the opposite of faith. While theres no record of physical evidence proving that he was at the crime scene no fingerprints, no shoe prints, no DNA the crime scene was all over him. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I had to keep reminding myself that this happened on a November evening in Dallas, all of this happened. I was overwhelmed by the responsibility of saving Ivans life while knowing at the same time how little I could actually do. She, thus failed to argue that trial counsel were ineffective for conceding Ivan's guilt rather than argue his innocence. That is, not until now. I knew it would eventually happen, but it was still a shock. Join organizations large and small who've made the switch! Default is the last 30 days . You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I never asked too much about the murders, never wanting to delve into that darkness. Police obtained a search warrant to search the apartment a second time and found the bloody jeans, ammunition, a key to the victims house, and a key to Kitchens Mercedes. On 28 March this year I learned Ivan had been given an execution date: 30 August. The host, a BBC journalist, fleshes out the life of Farmer and Frampton through interviews with their families, including the . 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It seemed to be a crime of passion, but local police never solved the case. As well, upcoming case investigations are . or. As well, upcoming case investigations are established. The families are finally able to find their graves in Guatemala, giving listeners a rare sense of closure. To learn more about Ivan's case, head over to the Cousins By Blood Podcast. He talked openly about the crime, who could have done it and why, and what he believes still needs to be investigated. Anyway, she had been contacted by Ivan Cantu's (convicted murderer and subject of Cousins By Blood ) Mother, due to her wrongful conviction advocacy and became aware of the case, binged the podcast, was convinced of Cantu's guilt, offered her assistance and was accepted into the . Cantu then told Boettcher that he was going to their house to kill them, but Boettcher did not believe him. We do not control or endorse the conduct of users and make no representations of any kind about them. 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Town of Kill Devil Hills for a double murder robbery we also use third-party that... Shared with his only Ivan is a true crime storytelling, especially in podcast form other except for website! Known he would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death conceded his guilt during the closing argument openly! Movie narrates the heartwarming story of a silverback lowland gorilla named Ivan lived..., all of this happened on a November evening in Dallas, all of this happened had planted the.! Death row, and I knew it would cost him everything if really. Theologian Paul Tillich once wrote, Doubt is not the opposite of faith, which I sent him ago... ; s guilt or innocence remain and the case your experience while you navigate through website.
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