A 41-year-old man from Minnesota, United States, Robert Castillo, has been sentenced to over 33 years in prison for fatally stabbing his wife, Corinna Woodhull, during a Bible study session.
Castillo pleaded guilty to second-degree murder earlier this year.
The tragic incident occurred on March 21, 2023, at Castillo’s sister’s home in St. Paul, where she hosted a weekly Bible study.
According to reports, Castillo whispered something to his wife while they were sitting on a couch. When she shook her head “no,” Castillo pulled out a hunting knife and stabbed her multiple times. His own family eventually disarmed him.
In court on Friday, Castillo apologized for his actions but claimed he couldn’t remember what happened due to being under the influence of drugs. “I’m taking full responsibility for my actions, even if I don’t recall anything that happened that day due to my … drug-induced psychosis,” Castillo said.
Castillo’s attorney, Mark Austin, argued that his client was remorseful and asked the judge for a 25-year sentence, noting that Castillo’s last memory as a free man was getting high with a friend that morning. However, Prosecutor Dan Rait highlighted Castillo’s violent past, stating, “Castillo has a history of hurting people who care about him.”
The judge, Ramsey County District Judge Richard Kyle, handed down a sentence of 33 1/3 years. In Minnesota, prisoners typically serve two-thirds of their sentence in prison and the rest on supervised release.
Castillo had a troubled past, with eight prior felony convictions, including a 2014 incident where he assaulted another woman with a hammer. At the time of the stabbing, he was on supervised release and had a warrant out for his arrest for failing to attend a court hearing on charges that he had assaulted two correctional officers in 2020.
Woodhull’s family members, including her mother, Linda Castle, expressed their sorrow and shared a powerful message about domestic violence. After her daughter’s death, Linda found divorce papers in Woodhull’s car. “She knew it was time to walk away, and that’s why she’s dead,” Castle said, adding, “Women need to understand: Don’t accept this kind of behavior. It’s not OK.”
Both families had urged Woodhull not to marry Castillo, hoping she would avoid the violence they feared. Prosecutor Rait summed it up, saying, “It’s a testament to the kind of person she was that she went through with it, thinking she could help him. I can’t believe that she knew her wedding vows would ultimately be her death sentence.”
AP
