In 1996, a Houston diamond dealer was shot to death at his desk, and more than $3.5 million in diamonds vanished. Nearly 30 years later, the diamonds have never been found, and the man convicted of the murder is scheduled to be executed on November 19, 2026. In this episode of How to Get on Death Row, we follow the story of Reinaldo Dennes from his early life in Cuba and his career in the jewelry business, through the night of the robbery and the investigation that led police to him and his brother. We break down the evidence prosecutors used at trial, including the ballistics, the informant, and the relationship that helped the men get inside the building. From the Harris County courtroom to Texas death row, we follow Reinaldo’s 1997 conviction, his appeals, and the execution date now set for November 19, 2026.
| Date | Proceeding | Description | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| March, 22, 2017 | Memorandum Opinion and Order, Dennes v. Davis (S.D. Tex.) | Federal District Court’s ruling from Judge Sim Lake denying Dennes’s habeas corpus petition | https://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/texas/txsdce/4:2014cv00019/1144115/36 |
| March, 03, 2020 | Appendix to cert petition, Dennes v. Davis, No. 20-5360 (U.S. Supreme Court) | Appendix filed with Dennes’s petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his case. It bundles together the lower court rulings he was appealing. | https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-5360/149310/20200803170914230_Appendix-Dennes.pdf |