Jury Sentences Columbine Copycat Murderer

By Sarah Harper

Published on August 27, 2009

On August 21, a jury in Hillsborough, North Carolina found Alvaro Castillo, 21, guilty of the 2006 murder of his father, Rafael, 65, and a high school shooting. He was sentenced to life without parole. Alvaro's obsession with the Columbine murders appears to have been part of his motive.

In August 2006, at Raphael's residence, Alvaro, then 18, shot Raphael seven times in the head, killing him. Alvaro then donned clothing similar to that of the Columbine shooters, gathered several weapons, and e-mailed the principal of Columbine high school that Hillsborough would soon make history. He then went to Orange County high school, his alma mater, where he set off a cherry bomb and fired at several students before being restrained by law enforcement.

In Alvaro's trial, the defense maintained Alvaro was legally insane and therefore not criminally responsible for his crimes. The defense detailed Alfaro's obsession with the Columbine shootings, history of mentally unstable behavior (including suicidal tendencies and commitment to a psychiatric facility), and dysfunctional family. The prosecution maintained that Alvaro planned the crimes and, while possibly disturbed, did not meet the criteria for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

The jury convicted Alvaro of the first-degree murder of his father and of multiple assault and weapon offenses in the school shooting.

Comment on this article →