GUILTY CA - Alex Mercado, 4, Mendota, 30 Oct 2009

[Texas Mist]

BBM

:furious: Does this mean there were previous charges?

CarrieBean, the way I took it was that teen perp was hauled in on murder charges, and LE is adding the add'l charges (perhaps had to wait on autopsy IYKWIM).

I haven't found anywhere (yet) that he had previous run-ins with the law. Altho I have read some scary things that other kids said about him.

 

[Texas Mist]

teen charged as adult in slaying

thanks kikid - there's a little more info on charges in that link:

Fresno County, California, District Attorney Elizabeth A. Egan said Raul Renato Castro was charged with special circumstances, including murder during a child molestation, sodomy, kidnapping and murder of a witness to prevent testimony.

Castro faces separate felony charges of kidnapping, sodomy and child molestation, Egan said.

 

[CarrieBean]

CarrieBean, the way I took it was that teen perp was hauled in on murder charges, and LE is adding the add'l charges (perhaps had to wait on autopsy IYKWIM).

I haven't found anywhere (yet) that he had previous run-ins with the law. Altho I have read some scary things that other kids said about him.

I don't think I have ever heard of a charge like that unless there was a (upcoming?) trial.

 

[Texas Mist]

CB, the perp (Castro) who allegedly murdered Alex was certified to stand trial for his murder as an adult (he's 14)...I haven't heard of any other upcoming trials for Castro.

apologies if I'm misunderstanding what you're saying about the charge.

 

[Knox]

I'm watching her less and less...I'm so disappointed in how she continues to use so much hype.

My heart and prayers go out to the family of Alex. May Alex receive justice!

Not to mention she constantly misstates facts, that REALLY bugs!!!!!
K, ya got me started, lol ... What's up with the gal on the panel that does the rhyming thing? Very irritating!

 

[Knox]

CarrieBean, the way I took it was that teen perp was hauled in on murder charges, and LE is adding the add'l charges (perhaps had to wait on autopsy IYKWIM).

I haven't found anywhere (yet) that he had previous run-ins with the law. Altho I have read some scary things that other kids said about him.

Do you have a link Texas or PM me please.

 

[Knox]

Snipped; http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/03/california.boy.murder/index.html

Under California law, a 14-year-old is not eligible for the death penalty or a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, according to a statement from Egan's office. If found guilty, the boy could receive no more than 32 years to life plus 15 years.

If he did indeed serve the full sentence he would be 61 at Parole. I would like to hear more about his family history. Does he have older siblings?

 

[Linda7NJ]

I hope he gets the absolute max!

This 14 year old was more likely than not abused himself and suffered at the hands of another. But I fully believe he knew right from wrong and made the conscious decision to do wrong anyway. That's obvious by his lame attempt at hiding the 4 year old's body in the dryer. IMO When a victim identifies with their abuser...and becomes one, they can't be fixed.

I would bet this little boy wasn't his first victim.

 

[everyoneneedsavoice]

This makes me literally sick! This is horrible...RIP little Alex.

 

[Texas Mist]

Do you have a link Texas or PM me please.

the teenager made him uncomfortable.

"I used to sit next to him in class and he was the kind of kid that would creep me out," said Amador, 13. "He was always looking at you, just staring at you."

Joseph Riofrio, a Mendota City Council member, said the boy made him uncomfortable, as well, when he would come to Riofrio's video store with his mother. He said the teenager had unusual habits, such as wearing a parka in the middle of summer.

http://www.fresnobee.com/updates/story/1695874.html

I wonder if he wore the parka because he was being abused. CA does seem too warm for a parka in the summer.

I'll try to find the other links about the 'creepy' perp.

 

[Texas Mist]

<snip>

MENDOTA, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say in court documents that a teenager charged with murder confessed to killing a 4-year-old boy because the child was going to reveal the teen molested him.

....

It says Castro lured Alex Mercado into a bathroom and molested him. When Alex threatened to tell his mother, Castro said he held him under water in a bathtub until he died then hid the body in a clothes dryer, the affadavit states.


http://www.rgj.com/article/20091104/NEWS12/91104029

 

[Knox]

The arraignment of a Mendota teen accused of killing a 4-year-old boy has been postponed.

14-year-old Raul Castro was expected in a Fresno County Courtroom on Wednesday, but that hearing was later moved to November 10th.


http://www.kmph.com/Global/story.asp?S=11445212

 

[Mouser]

This story is so disturbing. I'm not making any excuses for Raul Castro, but the first thought that came into my mind when I read about him was that he must have been sexually abused himself. If his classmates were picking up on his weird behavior, makes me wonder why teachers or his parent(s) weren't taking notice. If they had, maybe this tragedy could have been prevented.

 

[panthera]

<snip>

MENDOTA, Calif. (AP) &#8213;Prosecutors have filed murder and other charges against a 14-year-old boy accused in the killing of 4-year-old Alex Mercado.

Fresno County District Attorney Elizabeth Egan says Raul Renato Castro was charged as an adult when the murder charge was filed against him Tuesday. Egan says the teen is also facing additional charges of sodomy, kidnapping and murder of a witness to prevent testimony.

Castro is due to be arraigned Wednesday morning. Prosecutors say if eventually convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.

http://cbs13.com/local/teen.charged.mendota.2.1290283.html


ETA:

Authorities allege that Castro lured 4-year-old Alex Mercado into a home on Friday afternoon.

http://www.kmjnow.com/pages/landing...gainst-14-Year-Old=1&blockID=86619&feedID=806

OMG ~ the additional charges are really disturbing considering the suspect/defendant is only 14 y/o. :furious: Thankfully the DA does want to charge him as an adult. MOO

 

[Salem]

the teenager made him uncomfortable.

"I used to sit next to him in class and he was the kind of kid that would creep me out," said Amador, 13. "He was always looking at you, just staring at you."

Joseph Riofrio, a Mendota City Council member, said the boy made him uncomfortable, as well, when he would come to Riofrio's video store with his mother. He said the teenager had unusual habits, such as wearing a parka in the middle of summer.

http://www.fresnobee.com/updates/story/1695874.html

I wonder if he wore the parka because he was being abused. CA does seem too warm for a parka in the summer.

I'll try to find the other links about the 'creepy' perp.

Mendota is in the valley - by Fresno. I have never lived in Mendota, but I have lived in Fresno and summer temps are well over 100 degrees F. I can not imagine wearing a parka in such heat. My goodness! And in the summer, the nights do not cool off quickly - temps remain in the 80's and 90's. It is warm there....

Salem

 

[Texas Mist]

warning - this is truly disturbing to think about little Alex's last moments on earth.

<snip> and BBM

Action News has learned Castro's father is a convicted sex offender who spent three years in prison. The boy's grandmother is baffled about what happened in Mendota.

....

Castro's Grandmother said, "He was nice kid. He stayed in my house long time." She did not give her name to ABC 30. Castro's grandmother became emotional before the 14-year-old entered court. Investigators claim Castro admitted to sexually assaulting and killing Alex Mercado last weekend in Mendota.

After the sexual assault, investigators revealed in court documents, "Castro said the victim started crying and told Castro he was going to tell his mother. Castro said he panicked and decided to kill the victim by drowning him in the bathtub & Castro got into the bathtub with the victim, held him down until the victim died. Castro checked the victim's pulse, moved his shoulders, and saw that the victim was dead."


more here

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=7101246



I can't help but believe that the perp was abused. No excuses for what he did, but I believe we'll be hearing about his life, and it will be disturbing as well.

 

[panthera]

Mendota is in the valley - by Fresno. I have never lived in Mendota, but I have lived in Fresno and summer temps are well over 100 degrees F. I can not imagine wearing a parka in such heat. My goodness! And in the summer, the nights do not cool off quickly - temps remain in the 80's and 90's. It is warm there....

Salem

I can't imagine wearing a parka anywhere in the summer, and just out of curiosity, I checked the weather there now and it's in the 80s!! Teenagers also usually are more warm blooded than older adults. Very strange indeed. MOO

 

[panthera]

(respectfully snipped)

I can't help but believe that the perp was abused. No excuses for what he did, but I believe we'll be hearing about his life, and it will be disturbing as well.

I too think there's a good possibility it could be brought up by the defense. Maybe it's true, but as you said, no excuse. MOO

 

[panthera]

Too late to edit a previous post without the "little message" on the bottom but regarding the parka ~ addicts wear long sleeves in the summer also. Just a thought. MOO

 

[Texas Mist]

'Cutters' wear inappropriate clothing, too....obviously this kid is disturbed -- wonder if he was doing that to himself?

Just tossing another thought out there...still need to go hunt down the other statements I read about his 'creepiness'.