Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Las Vegas man gets 21 years for killing woman, dumping body near San Diego

A Las Vegas gang member who was on a five-day meth binge when he suddenly shot a car passenger then dumped her body near Escondido, Calif., last year, was sentenced Friday to 21 years in prison.

Judge K. Michael Kirkman imposed the sentence that attorneys had agreed on when Paul Castro pleaded guilty in April to voluntary manslaughter and admitted an allegation that he used a gun.

Castro didn't say anything during the hearing, but family members of the victim, Antonia Herrera of San Marcos, Calif., did.

The 23-year-old's grandmother, Molly Ruiz, and cousins told the judge they were upset that Castro would shoot their loved one and then not get medical attention for her, Deputy District Attorney Keith Watanabe said.

"They said they're working on forgiving him," the prosecutor said.

Watanabe told the judge "this was an absolute tragedy that could have been avoided" and highlighted the dangers of drug abuse.

"He was on a five-day methamphetamine binge when this all happened," Watanabe said.

Castro had gone through a preliminary hearing and was ordered to stand trial trial several months before he changed his plea to guilty.

He had bipolar and schizophrenic behavior with a history of paranoia, believing drug cartels were out to get him, according to testimony and court documents.

Witnesses said that on Jan. 11 last year, Herrera, her boyfriend and Castro were passengers in a car headed from Las Vegas to Herrera's home. At one point, Castro asked if anyone in the car was planning to kill him.

As they traveled south down Interstate 15 before sunrise, Herrera mentioned that they would drive through a wooded area to reach her home. She reportedly meant the comment to calm Castro, but instead he grabbed a semi-automatic pistol, turned around from the front seat and pumped three rounds into Herrera. One bullet pierced her heart.

Castro forced the driver to pull off the freeway, where Herrera's body was dumped. It was found later that day.

Castro, Herrera's boyfriend and the driver returned to Las Vegas. The two witnesses did not report the shooting, but San Diego County sheriff's homicide investigators tracked them down weeks later.