Suspect, 14, says he killed Mendota boy after molesting him.
November 5, 2009
November 5, 2009
The Fresno Bee
By Pablo Lopez
via fresnobee.com
A Mendota 14-year-old confessed to killing a 4-year-old neighbor because the boy was going to tell his mother the teen had molested him, according to a court affidavit made public Wednesday.
The affidavit is in the criminal case file for Raul Renato Castro, who sat in shackles and showed no emotion in his first appearance in Fresno County Superior Court, where he is being tried as an adult...
On Halloween night, officials from the FBI and the Sheriff's Office searched the teen's home as part of a door-to-door operation and discovered Alex's body in the dryer. The 5-foot Castro is being held in the Juvenile Justice Campus south of Fresno. His bail is more than $2 million.
A criminal complaint charges Castro as an adult with first-degree murder and four special allegations associated with that charge -- that it was committed along with child molestation, sodomy, and kidnapping, and in order to silence a witness. Castro also faces separate felony charges of kidnapping, sodomy and child molestation...If convicted, the teen faces up to 47 years to life in prison...
Raul's mother Elsa Castro declined to comment. But Raul Castro's grandmother, Desidora Hernandez, said, "He's a nice kid. We don't know what happened." Elsa Castro has described herself as a single mother, and Riofrio has said the teen's father has been "out of the picture." According to a KFSN (Channel 30.1) report Wednesday evening, Raul Castro's father, Jose Antonio Castro, is a convicted sex offender who spent three years in prison...
Also read:
Posts
9 comments:
I hate this fucking monster Raul Castro. You have violated this beautiful, innocent child. You are no longer a 14yr old child in my eyes. You are a heinous pervert and murderer and you deserve the worst punishment they can afford you. Even if you had spared little Alex's life, what you did to him would follow him for a lifetime. You are sick and don't deserve any leniencey just because of your age. I consider you a child psychopath and the only one I hope has mercy on you is the Father God above. God bless little Alex and his family. My heart mourns for your little son and your loss.
I completely agree with the above November 6, 2009 2:06 PM comment.
God bless Alex's family.
Prayers to both families...Remember that its not just Alex's family who is in mourning...keep in mind the 14 year olds family and what they have lost... think how painful it would be if your son or daughter committed such a horrible act...you would still love them just as God loves us all...may God bless all of you and bring comfort to your darkest of hours.
Absolutely mind blowing. Rauls father is a convicted child molester, this poses several questions. Was Raul possibly molested by his father at any point in his life. It's common knowledge that chilldren whom are abused, either emotionally, physically, or sexually go on to eventually abuse others in these same manner. If so Raul may have been under the impression that this type of behavior may have acceptable or at best normal. Lastly it has been widely reported that little Alex had been baby sat numerous times by Rauls mother whom also lived in the home in which this crime was commited, this poses the question to whether this sexual assult was indeed an isolated incident, or an just a sexual encounter gone horribly wrong. I also noticed something interesting upon reveiwing the now public affidavit, could there have been troubling warning signs that had maybe gone ignored? In the affidavit it is noted that Raul was wearing a white t-shirt which depicted images of a skull and cross bones durring the commisiion of this crime, which was later discoverd in a dirty clothes hamper located in the restroom where Alex was assaulted and then murderd. As a parent and a psychology student I can honestly say that this would have definetly raised some red flags for me. It's just another really eerie and creepy detail emerging out of all this....
I am the mother of alex christopher mercado and my heart aches everyday just wish i could hold him and love him one more time...none of you will never know the boy who did this but to me it was poor parenting a mother who brought different men in and out of the home and showed this boy. now to me personally i would never carry any type of pornography in or around my house and that was what this boy was around.....i dont hate him or feel anger towards him ill leave that in my heavenly fathers hands for him to take care of... i will grieve for my son and remember him just the way he was fun loving playful sneaky how any average 4 yr old is...and for the above comment clear this up they THE MOTHER OR SON WERE NEVER BABYSITTERS FOR ANY OF MY KIDS!!!!
To Alex's mom--I am so very sorry for your loss. There are no words to really express it. I admire your faith. You are a good person to forgive Raul. I'm afraid I cannot. At 14, he knows right from wrong.
He was a beautiful little boy.
Janet
I agree with the comment made about both families enduring hard times. We are talking about a 14 year old child that had a child molesting father as a parent. I feel this played a huge part in shaping this child and what he preserved as right or wrong. For those of you who are fast to judge- try to think about how you would feel if the 14 year old were a member of your family. Both of these children were victims. May god be with both families.
Ms. Mercado- I would like to extend my condolences. I am a mother of a 2 year old and I can't begin to imagine the pain it must be to go thru this. My prayers are with you and your family.
OKay..you you freakin peoplez!! What the fudge!?!? You guys dont even Know Raul! He was a very nice guy!Raul was kind to me and I dont care what you people say about him because I will support him..plus perhaps his fuckin usless father molested him as a child too!?!?you people dont even connsider that possibliity!!!I HATE IGNORANT PEOPLE LIKE ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!>P<
Post a Comment