Innocence Archives

Tragic Innocence: 12-Year-Old Bystander Killed in Gunfire Exchange Amid Ongoing Violence at Atlanta Apartment Complex

Atlanta, Ga. — A tragic incident left a community mourning after a 12-year-old boy was fatally shot in a conflict involving two groups at an apartment complex. Investigators report that the boy, who has not been identified, was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire during a violent altercation on Wednesday. According to authorities, tensions escalated between two groups gathered at the complex, located just south of Interstate 20 and east of Interstate 285. Following …

Juror’s Change of Heart and Dr. Phil’s Testimony Fuel Debate Over Innocence of Texas Man on Death Row

Austin, Texas — A dramatic turn of events unfolded this week as a Texas juror, who was part of the decision to convict a man now on death row for killing his daughter, has expressed doubts about the verdict amidst new medical testimony. The case has garnered further attention as television personality Dr. Phil McGraw asserted the man’s innocence, echoing growing concerns over possible judicial errors. The inmate, Rodney Roberson, 57, was initially convicted in …

Missouri Inmate Faces Execution Despite Questions Over His Innocence and Forensic Links in 1998 Reporter Murder

St. Louis, Missouri — Marcellus Williams, a 55-year-old Missouri death row inmate, staunchly maintains his innocence in the 1998 murder of former St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Lisha Gayle, a crime for which he faces execution this Tuesday. Williams has been forensically disconnected from the murder, raising substantial doubts about his guilt and triggering debates about the justice of carrying out the execution. On the fateful morning of August 11, 1998, Gayle was brutally stabbed 43 …

Son Awaits Execution of Man Convicted in Mother’s 1997 Halloween Night Murder Amidst New Testimony of Innocence

Greenville, SC — Nearly three decades ago, the sudden and brutal murder of Irene Grainger Graves, a hardworking mother of three who juggled multiple jobs to provide for her family, shattered a quiet Halloween night in 1997. She was fatally shot while working in a local convenience store when she reportedly couldn’t access the store’s safe for two armed robbers. This Friday, the man convicted of her murder, Freddie Eugene Owens, faces execution, marking South …

Guilty Plea Entered in High-Profile Case of Slain ‘General Hospital’ Actor, Three Others Maintain Innocence

Los Angeles — In a recent court proceeding, 18-year-old Leonel Gutierrez entered a guilty plea for attempted robbery and grand theft in connection with the tragic shooting death of actor Johnny Wactor, known for his role on “General Hospital.” The plea, submitted without a deal on sentencing from prosecutors, marks a turning point in a case that has garnered significant attention. Gutierrez’s admission in Los Angeles County Superior Court comes amid ongoing proceedings involving three …

Father and Son Embroiled in Alleged Toronto Terror Plot: Son Claims Innocence

Toronto, Canada — A father and son duo implicated in a planned terrorist act in Toronto have come forward to vehemently deny the son’s involvement in the alleged scheme. The authorities have brought forward accusations, framing a narrative of a planned attack which, they claim, was prevented due to timely intervention by law enforcement. The two were arrested earlier this week in a raid that has drawn significant media attention, owing to the purported gravity …

Supreme Court Halts Execution of Texas Man Seeking DNA Testing to Prove Innocence

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court intervened on Tuesday to halt the scheduled execution of a Texas inmate, Ruben Gutierrez, who has long maintained his innocence in a 1998 murder case and has been seeking DNA testing to support his claim. The high court’s decision came shortly before Gutierrez was due to be executed, marking a critical moment in a legal battle that has spanned over two decades. Gutierrez, now 45, was sentenced to death for …

Tragic End of Innocence: Chicago Boy, 7, Fatally Shot While Running Errand, Teen Charged with Murder

Chicago, IL – Tragedy struck Chicago’s Near West Side earlier this week when a 7-year-old boy, Jai’Mani Amir Rivera, was fatally shot while performing an errand for his mother. Authorities have charged a 16-year-old, Raysean Comer, with first-degree murder in connection to the young boy’s death. According to officials, the young victim was simply carrying a cooking pot to a neighbor’s house on his mother’s request when he was caught in gunfire. The devastating incident …

Realtor Convicted of Double Murder Insists on Innocence: “I Wish I Was the One Killed”

Surf City, New Jersey – A realtor from Pennsylvania was sentenced to two life terms in prison for the brutal murders of her father and his girlfriend in their Surf City residence. Sherry Lee Heffernan, 57, was convicted of stabbing both victims multiple times and shooting them in the mouth in 2021 after being excluded from her father’s will. She maintained her innocence throughout the trial, expressing her wish to have been the one killed …

texas executes ivan cantu despite maintained innocence and doubts about conviction

Dallas, Texas – Texas executed Ivan Cantu on Wednesday for the murders of his cousin, James Mosqueda, and Mosqueda’s girlfriend, Amy Kitchen, in 2000. At 50 years old, Cantu was put to death by lethal injection at 6:47 pm local time after being convicted of the double homicide. Despite proclaiming his innocence until the end, Cantu addressed the families of the victims in his final speech, denying any involvement in the killings. Prosecutors maintained that …