A former US Marine Corps recruiter has been sentenced to four decades in prison for a brutal attack on an 11-year-old girl, which a judge described as resembling a scene from a 'horror movie'.
A Night of Terror in Rockford
In the early hours of 15 June 2024, Ricardo Perez Castillo, then 25, broke into a home on Ella Terrace Court in Rockford, Illinois. According to the Kent County Prosecutor's Office, Castillo removed his trousers and underwear, grabbed a knife, and went upstairs where two children were sleeping.
He climbed on top of the 11-year-old victim, who was on an air mattress, and began stabbing her. The prosecutor, Elizabeth Bartlett, stated that Castillo believed he was attacking her neck, but the wounds were to her shoulder and arm. The girl's screams woke her friend in a top bunk and the homeowner, who rushed to intervene.
Chilling Confession and Courtroom Plea
During police interviews, Castillo made a series of horrifying statements. He said he thought stabbing the girl in the neck was the 'easy way to kill' her and admitted he 'was going to try and kill the whole f...ing family'. When questioned about why he was undressed, he chillingly confessed: 'I think I was trying to sleep with the girl once she was dead.'
At his sentencing last week before Judge Christina Mims, Castillo dropped to his knees and begged for forgiveness. He claimed to have 'found God' since the attack, telling the court: 'I can't imagine all the nightmares. I'm sorry. I'm truly from the bottom of the heart... I ask for forgiveness for all of you.' He pleaded no contest to charges of assault with intent to murder, first-degree home invasion, and assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct.
Lasting Trauma and a 40-Year Sentence
The young victim's impact statement, read in court, detailed the profound physical and psychological scars. She recalled 'being in a lot of pain on the floor' and 'seeing all my blood everywhere'. She remembered the smell and the feeling of warmth from the blood running down her body, adding: 'I was terrified. I never would have guessed an innocent sleepover would have left me in the hospital with bad injuries.'
Judge Mims, imposing the 40-year prison sentence, emphasised the sheer brutality of the crime. The lengthy term ensures Castillo will be held accountable for an act that has irrevocably damaged a young life and traumatised a family and community.
