When Jason Cantrell, husband of Mayor LaToya Cantrell, passed away in August 2023 he was saddled with debt, according to his succession and other documents recently filed in Civil District Court. Now his father, retired Judge Harry Cantrell, is being forced to pay off several loans the senior Cantrell personally guaranteed on Jason’s behalf.
Jason Cantrell died intestate, that is without a will. Cantrell’s succession – filed by Gretna attorney Tony Dooley – has many blank spaces where dollar amounts could have been listed like for the value of his checking account or the value of his City of New Orleans employee retirement account. Mayor Cantrell and her Chief of Staff Clifton Davis both signed the Affidavit of Valuation that is part of the succession.
According to the succession documents, Jason’s only unencumbered assets were two used automobiles -– a 2002 Chevrolet and a 2015 Audi valued together at approximately $16,000. The family home was valued at $250,000.
On the negative side of the ledger is a home mortgage for $362,644.95 that far exceeds the value of the home. The home’s 2024 tax property bill of $5,248.48 is also unpaid. There is no indication that payments were ever made on the mortgage or if Mayor Cantrell co-signed the mortgage. Attorney Kandice Doley Meyers was appointed Curator Ad Hoc. The succession is currently open for those who wish to bring claims against it.
In a separate court filing, attorneys Wade Webster and Elyce Ieyoub representing Crescent Bank & Trust, are demanding that retired Judge Harry Cantrell fork over more than $33,000 – the balance of two loans for which Judge Cantrell signed a commercial guarantee on behalf of his son. The first loan – in the amount of $50,000 with an 8% interest rate per annum – was borrowed for Jason Cantrell personally in March 2009. The remaining balance is $27,276.00 as of April 16, 2024, with interest accruing daily and attorney’s fees.
The second loan, designated for The Reimbursement Project, was made in March 2019 in the principal amount of $40,175.82. Interest accrued at 7.5% per annum. Although the principal became due in March 2020, Jason Cantrell still owned $5,918.22 upon his death. Interest rates and attorney’s fees will continue to grow until Judge Cantrell is able to satisfy both debts. Crescent Bank & Trust is owned by civil leader Gary Solomon.
The most interesting tidbit in the succession’s Petition for Possession is that the Cantrell’s minor child, Ray Ann Cantrell, was allocated 100% ownership of all separate property of the decedent. There was no indication in the succession that Jason Cantrell had any separate property. Perhaps this reference addresses property young Ray Ann may inherit in the future.
