California police are warning residents that a man charged with the 2004 murder of a woman and suspected rapes of others may have other victims.
On Halloween 2004, 43-year-old Barbara Lee of Fresno was found dead in a dirt field, where investigators say she was likely killed, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. The case went cold despite police interviewing several people who knew her. More than 20 years later, police have finally identified a suspect using DNA found at the crime scene.
Robert Castillo, 61, is now charged with Lee’s murder. After he was arrested, police searched his DNA against other open cases. That connected him to two separate rape cases in October 2003 and September 2004.
He’s now in the Fresno County Jail on a murder charge, two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, according to the sheriff’s office. His bail is set at $2.1 million. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Castillo has a criminal history dating to 1981, the sheriff’s office said. He has been convicted of property crimes in the 1980s, 1990s and mid-2000s.
Now, police say more of Castillo’s victims could be out there.
"We are concerned that Robert Castillo may have other victims out there who never made a police report," Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni said Friday. "If you recognize him as committing a crime against you, please contact the Fresno County Sheriff's Office."
"They may not know his name, but they may remember if they were victimized by this individual," Zanoni added, sharing a series of Castillo’s booking photos dating back forty years.
“It’s not easy in the world we live in, with the tight schedules that we all have … to actually never forget these victims,” Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp said. “I would like to offer my condolences to the Lee family … for all of this to be unearthed again after 20 years is very difficult.”
The Independent has contacted Castillo’s attorney for comment.
