Hearing Delayed For Man Accused In 2003 Shooting

Gilberto Castillo Charged With 2003 Murder Of Maria Munoz, Who Had Broken Off Relationship

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(Photo courtesy: AP)

Posted: 08/08/2012
Last Updated: 289 days ago

A preliminary hearing was postponed Wednesday until Aug. 27 for a man charged with murder in the 2003 shooting death of a Carlsbad mother of three who had broken off their dating relationship.

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Gilberto Mendoza Castillo, 38, was arrested March 31 in Tijuana and turned over to U.S. authorities.

At Castillo's arraignment April 3, Deputy District Attorney Ryan Saunders said the victim, Maria Munoz, dated Castillo for about a month before ending the relationship. Munoz, 31, and Castillo had worked together for a couple of years at Cessy's Taco Shop in Carlsbad, he said.

Castillo found out that Munoz was picking up a man at the taco shop the night of Dec. 7, 2003, and waited for them, according to the prosecutor. Castillo then approached them with a gun and shot her six times, killing her, Saunders said. The man survived.

An arrest warrant for Castillo was issued 12 days later but he remained a fugitive until his arrest in Mexico earlier this year. He has been in custody at the Vista jail ever since, with bail set at $5 million.

In addition to murder, Castillo is charged with the attempted murder of the man who was with Munoz. He faces 80 years to life in state prison if convicted, according to Saunders.

A judge will decide at the end of the preliminary hearing whether there's enough evidence to order Castillo to stand trial.

Copyright Do you have more information about this story? Click here to contact usCopyright 2012 by City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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