The Virginia Court of Appeals affirmed the convictions for first degree murder, burglary and violation of a protective order against Braulio Castillo. If true, this guy has been taking liberties with the contracting process and is a loose cannon at home. They wanted to be there for their mother.". A funeral service for Michelle Castillo is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, April 6, in the Smith Center at McLean Bible Church, located at 8925 Leesburg Pike in Vienna, according to Leesburg Today. technologies for the following purposes: We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to The dog alerted in one other place in the house, and that was at the foot of Michelle's bed.". At present, Braulio Castillo is still incarcerated in the Buckingham Correctional Center in Buckingham County, Virginia. "[He] wakes me up at 2:30 in the morning yellling, pointing his finger in my face and telling me not to talk to my friends about him," Michelle said in a court filing. "I miss my mom. 2023 by Government Media Executive Group LLC. When Michelle Castillo was found hanging from a showerhead in her Ashburn, Virginia, home with an electrical cord around her neck, her family was dumbfounded. Michelle and Braulio Castillo purchased and then ran a small Leesburg-based IT company called Strong Castle, which had been awarded $500 million worth of IRS contracts in 2012. She is also survived by her mother, Judy Barnickel, her step father, Dale Barnickel, her father, Melvin Griffin, her step mother, Velma Griffin, her sister, Betty Lewis, her brother, Randy Middlebrooks and numerous family members. "It hurts me every day, every time I think about it. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking The Virginia Court of Appeals has upheld convictions for first-degree murder, burglary and violation of a protective order against Braulio Castillo resulting from the death of his estranged wife in March 2014. "Those children, she bathed them, she fed them, she put them to bed, read them a story, they said prayers and said good night -- that was about between 9 and 9:30, all the time Mr. Castillo was in that house, probably in the basement waiting, and then he ambushed her later on. The government procurement system is so broken. "So when the CSI folks, when they stripped the bed they found blood on a pillowcase.". Braulio Castillo Phone Number, Address, Public Records | Radaris Access this case on the Virginia Eastern District Court's Electronic Court Filings (ECF) System Search for Party Aliases Today, the four youngest remain together in a new home. They pulled the dog off that, the dog then went through the entire house, over 10,000 square feet. Michelle Castillo Murder: Where Is Braulio Castillo Now? "And Mr. Castillo I think realized that this kid is going to come popping out and come back into this room looking for this security blanket, and so what the little boy said was that his father appeared and brought him his little 'lovey' blanket, he said he didn't say anything to him, but he gave him the blanket," said Wittmann. Castillo won a . Virginia Court of Appeals Affirmed the Convictions Against Braulio Castillo The charges came nearly a year after he was called before the House . Suite 500, #5190 Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 955-0001 2 I am duly authorized under the laws of the District of Columbia to administer oaths. Because we do not track you across different devices, department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My But on the eve of the trial, McCaffrey is hit with news that could jeopardize the entire case: he's fired by the county sheriff. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. He is a WASP. internet device. Investigators can't be sure yet. SBA decertified Strong Castle's HUBZone status in May 2013, while the Department of Veterans Affairs affirmed Strong Castles SDVOSB status last September. Interviews with Michelle's kids raise major questions too. Police may have never been able to solve this case if not for a surveillance camera at the neighbor's house that caught a man entering the Castillo home the night of the murder. contracts you saw his trucks everywhere. For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link. Theres no room with the Nationals. Sheriffs deputies found Michelle Castillo hanging in a basement shower with bruises on her face and her hair hanging over her face. Strong Castle had software contracts with the IRS with a ceiling value of $500 million. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org But what happened next inside their multimillion-dollar home shattered this family forever. "I know that she was seeking somewhere in the neighborhood of $14- to $17,000 a month in child support," said Nicole Wittmann. Josiah Gray finishes April with a flourish as Nats avoid a series sweep. performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a sale of your data under the CCPA. "As soon as I walked in I could tell this wasn't the home of a mother who would have killed herself," said Wittmann. The money furnished a lavish lifestyle, but it couldn't buy happiness. According to Deputy Commonwealth's Attorneys Alejandra Rueda and Nicole Wittmann, divorce papers allege disturbing behavior. Michelle Castillo was found dead, hanging by an electrical cord wrapped around a basement shower head, in the family home on March 20, 2014. browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this Braulio Castillo has been working as a Controversial Information Technology Contractor at Fcw for 9 years. Wittmann said she had never conducted a trial where so many of the victims friends were present every day. Today we ask you never to forget Michelle Castillo, Wittman told the judge. He also moved right down the street from his estranged wife. Together they ran a highly successful information-technology business, and thanks to Braulio's status as a wounded veteran, they were first in line for lucrative government jobs. Michelle put the kids down for the night, set the security alarm, and went to bed. Posted Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 2:01 pm ET. Ashburn Man, Braulio Castillo, Made Wife's Murder Look Like Suicide: PD The following day, they issued the sentence of life plus 16 years. You have no idea what you have done to your children, wrote Jonathan Castillo, now 12, in an emotional letter read by his foster mother. He was dating a triathlete. Were certain that we arrived at the right verdict, said Sheri Muilenberg of Leesburg. browser. Congress Blasts VAR Strong Castle Over Alleged IRS Fraud - CRN The medical examiner ruled she had not been strangled by the cord around her neck, but had been suffocated, and Braulio Castillos DNA was found on her bed and sweatshirt, though he hadnt been in the house for a year. Castillo's disability arose from a sports injury incurred at the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School. She received her Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia and her Masters Degree in Management of Global Information Technology from the Kogod School of Business at American University in Washington, District of Columbia. Braulio Castillo'ssister spoke on his behalf, asking for leniency and citing his charitable work. Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Nicole Wittman carried a large photo of Michelle Castillo and the children and placed it on an easel in front of Sincavage. see some advertising, regardless of your selection. The neighbor called police while Braulio Castillo went home. DNA tests finally come back, erasing any doubts for investigators: It's their man, Braulio Castillo. Braulio Castillos DNA was found on her bed and on her sweatshirt, prosecutors said. Her funeral service will be held in the Smith Center at McLean Bible Church, 8925 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Virginia 22182 on Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 1 pm. All rights reserved. Holy crap! You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active. "But they wanted to testify. You You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal Sincavage ruled that Greenspun could not have used the report, and denied the motion. Loudoun County CEO Gets Life in Prison, Plus 16 Years, for Murder of We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by Exotic Animal Registration Deadline Approaches In Loudoun County, Mother's Day 2023 Brunch: Reserve Now In Ashburn, Historic Houses With Modern Luxury And Amenities: VA Dream Homes, Antique Brass and Silver Restoration Services: MONDAYS 10-4, Celebrate Pilates Day: FREE Pilates Reformer classes & Happy Hour, Master Singers of VA Presents Reflections, Local Jobs: Check Out Who's Hiring In The Ashburn Area, Ashburn Area Prospective Homeowners: Look Through 5 New Homes For Sale. She told me how there are some incredible malingerers in the program. Theres no room with the Nationals. My football injury prevents me from doing repetitive lifting and seeing the photo of the couple, I do not think I could get her up in a noose by myself. We just wanted to be here to see it come to culmination. If police are right, the football disability did not prevent the beating to death of his wife and hanging her from a ceiling. Braulio Castillo was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with an additional 16 year term. All rights reserved, Julie Carey, Northern Virginia Bureau Chief, Coach Mentors District Heights Kids Through Basketball, Man Shot Trying to Stop Scooter Robbery in Northwest DC, Witnesses Say, 7 Bodies Found During Search for Missing Oklahoma Teens. That status allowed him to qualify for the advantage in bidding on contracts and helped him secure $500 million in contracts for his company Signet Computers (renamed Strong Castle in 2013) under the VAs Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program. His wife was found with bruises on her face and her hair hanging over her face, and the shower in her master bathroom had been running all night. Two of Braulio and Michelles children also testified against their father and affirmed that he was present in the house on the night of the murder. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in this book. Michelle Lee Castillo, 43 years old, of Ashburn, Virginia, passed away on March 20, 2014. Braulio Castillo, 43, was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday and is accused of killing Michelle Castillo, a mother of five. The Castillos were active in McLean Bible Church, Braulio Castillo coached his kids sports teams, and the family was well-liked in Ashburn. sale of your personal information to third parties. Ashburn CEO Braulio Castillo convicted of murder in estranged wifes 2014 death, In addition to Michelle Castillos friends and family, seven jurors from the trial returned for the sentencing. "It was very hard from the standpoint of This is my dad, I didn't want this to be my dad, it looks like my dad, this could be my dad, I think it's my dad, it is my dad -- I had to go through that process to slowly but surely make my way to the end of where I said it was," said Nick Castillo. Warner Bros. Entertainment | "He said 'I know you did it, dad, and I know you did this, and you made me give you the pass code and you yelled at me' -- it was just a horrific time, a horrific moment," said McCaffrey. The house was locked all night and the alarm was set. These cookies collect information for analytics and to Lets delve deep into the details of this case and find out where the murderer is at present, shall we? Braulio Castillo, 43, was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday and is accused of killing Michelle Castillo, a mother of five. The sheets had been changed, the bedding was gone. UPDATE, Tuesday 4:25 p.m.: The Loudoun County jury who convicted BraulioCastillo on Monday heard evidence and argument Tuesday morning, and then sentenced him to life plus 16 years in prison Tuesday afternoon. The happy-go-lucky mother of five had never displayed suicidal tendencies and had always looked forward to a life with her children. They need more. Braulio M. Castillo v. Loudoun County Department of Family Services Other Resources & Links. "The other thing I noted about that, he had a black eye and a scratch running down his face," said McCaffrey. "I was looking at the time frame from midnight on and I didn't see any perpetrator going into the house, and I couldn't understand it because if it was after midnight, the alarm would've went off, those kids would've woke up, everybody would've woken up, so I couldn't understand it, and I'd lay there at night thinking in the initial stages, How did this happen?" But it will take two weeks for DNA tests to confirm whose blood. Today, the four youngest remain together in a new home. LEESBURG, Virginia - June 4, 2019. UPDATE: Ashburn CEO Braulio Castillo, convicted of wife's murder In early 2012, they bought a small company, renamed it Strong Castle, and quickly began receiving tens of millions of dollars in federal IT contracts from the IRS, which attracted Congressional scrutiny. "It's really, really hard on the mind," said Nick Castillo. In March 2013, Michelle Castillo obtained an emergency protective order against her husband, claiming he tried to force her to have sex, was verbally abusive and had imprisoned her at times in their $1.1 million home on Belmont Station Drive. Kids rip Ashburn CEO for murder of their mother, judge imposes life She made a big impact on all of us.. Strong Castle, whose CEO Braulio Castillo faces murder charges, is Reports even state that the couple's eldest son, Nick Castillo, filed a wrongful death lawsuitagainst his father. Police say that she had been beaten and suffocated before being hanged. Help us tailor content specifically for you: This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and Police say he was seen on surveillance video exiting the house by himself several hours later, just after midnight. "No one's prints, and it looked like there was white marks, there was nothing there, it was wiped down. State v. Garcia, 596 So.2d 1237, 1239 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App.1992). Wittmann said that Castillos letters and hundreds of phone calls from jail, prior to being granted bond, to his girlfriend Kristin White, as well as shipping some of his deceased wifes clothes to her, indicated he wanted Michelle Castillo dead. In the morning, the Castillo children could not find their mother. You know you did it. Michelle was married to Braulio Castillo on March 21, 1996. Jeter Downs needs to play to develop. According to Loudoun County Sheriff's lead investigator Detective Mark McCaffrey, the children woke the next morning, March 20, 2014, and called their father in a panic. So what caused Michelle to fall into such sudden despair that she would take her own life? application/pdf You wake up and realize it isn't a nightmare; you relive it.". They called their father, and with a neighbor he went inside and took them to school. The Virginia Court of Appeals affirmed the convictions for first degree murder, burglary and violation of a protective order against Braulio Castillo. She actively supported the local and international communities. Read More: Joel Zalsos Murder: Where Is Franco Sevandal Now? Castillo v. Government Acquisitions, Inc. et al Access additional case information on PACER Use the links below to access additional information about this case on the US Court's PACER system. Sign up to receive breaking True Crime Daily news, exclusive stories and behind-the-scenes info. After Loudoun sheriffs deputies watched the surveillance tape and learned of the Castillos divorce proceedings and the protective order based on Michelle Castillos claims of extensive abuse by her husband, they obtained a murder warrant for Castillo. added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. Braulio Castillo had four of their children over for dinner at his house a few blocks from their home, while Nicholas was away at college. Can Barbara Mikulski fix the appropriations process? Ad Choices. Michelle was born in Warner Robins, Georgia on January 15, 1971. Accused of murdering his estranged wife and staging it to look like a suicide, Braulio Castillo's life hung in the balance as he strode to the witness stand in a Loudoun County courtroom Monday. According to court documents obtained by News4's Julie Carey, Michelle had accused her husband of being physically abusive and threatening her before they separated. "That hanging was not the cause of her death.". The Loudoun County jury who convicted Braulio Castillo on Monday heard evidence and argument Tuesday morning, and then sentenced him to life plus 16 years in prison Tuesday afternoon. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising "She was out with her friends celebrating the fact that she had just qualified for the Boston Marathon and had just days before completed running her first triathlon," said Wittmann. Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. Michelle graduated from Northside High School in Warner Robins, Georgia. She reminded Sincavage: This is a man, and it must never be forgotten, who left his wife hanging in the basement, in a horrific scene like something out of a horror movie. One is a PA who works w/ the Wounded Warrior Project. endstream endobj 13 0 obj <> endobj 7 0 obj <> endobj 2 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0 0 612 792]/Type/Page>> endobj 8 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0 0 612 792]/Type/Page>> endobj 31 0 obj <>stream Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey reports. Promoted By University of Maryland Capital Region Health, Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. You may not have broken any laws but you have broken trust of this great nation.. Rights link. PDF BRAULIO M. CASTILLO, v. COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, Respondent. AFFIDAVIT Regarding our company or our marriage or our life? When she asked me what I did for a living her eyes lit up. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information. Strong Castle attractedcongressional scrutiny in 2013 when it was revealed that the company had received preference on government contracts because Braulio Castillo claimed he was a service-disabled veteran. He had injured his ankle playing football at a military prep school in 1984. Initially, the police decided to look for intruders around the midnight mark but were unable to find any. Unless they have a compound fracture, some athletes will play through the injury. Illinois Rep. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran and double amputee, showed little sympathy for Virginia businessman Braulio Castillo when he testified on Capitol Hill Wednesday. Braulio Castillo was charged April 1 with the first-degree murder of his wife, according to Loudoun County authorities. You deny that you murdered mom, and thats another lie. But there is no sign of any intruder or possible suspect. Analysis of Michelle's clothing also reveals startling clues: patterned blood and spots on her shirt and on her sleeves. Castillo, 43, was under investigation when he was arrested on April 1 for the murder in Loudon County. The day before MichelleCastillo's body was found, the estranged couple had a court date related to their divorce. For her part, Michelle Castillo maintained an unbreakable bond with her kids and sought to re-build her battered self-esteem.
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