Woman missing for over a year found buried in desert, CA cops say. Man arrested
The body of a woman reported missing more than a year ago has been found buried in a remote desert area, and there's been an arrest in her slaying, California deputies say.
Tyna Castillo, 43, was first reported missing Feb. 3, 2024, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a May 20 news release.
The person who reported her missing said they had not been able to reach Castillo since December 2023, despite having sent several messages, according to deputies.
Deputies said they started a missing person investigation and began looking into Castillo's disappearance.
Her whereabouts, though, were a mystery, deputies said.
Investigators learned that Castillo was possibly killed on a residential property in Needles, according to deputies.
However, as detectives worked to speak with 'witnesses and people of interest in Castillo's disappearance,' they received little cooperation, and Castillo's case went cold, deputies said.
Then, in September, the sheriff's department cold case homicide team took up the investigation.
Through interviewing witnesses, homicide detectives learned where Castillo's remains were located, deputies said.
Deputies said they along with a number of other rescuers, including Red Rock Search and Rescue and about 100 volunteers, set out to look for Castillo.
After eight searches, deputies said they found human remains buried 'in an open desert area, along the Colorado River in Needles.'
The remains were positively identified as Castillo, who had been fatally shot, deputies said.
Detectives continued to investigate Castillo's case and ultimately identified Jared Winer, 44, as a suspect in her death, deputies said.
Castillo and Winer were 'acquaintances,' Mara Rodriguez, a sheriff's department spokeswoman, said in a May 21 email to McClatchy News.
They lived on the same property but in 'different dwellings,' according to Rodriguez.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office issued a warrant for Winer's arrest on one count of murder, deputies said.
Winer was arrested on separate charges in Arizona on May 6, the sheriff's department said. Once that case is concluded, he will be extradited to California to face charges in Castillo's killing, deputies said.
In a Facebook post announcing Castillo's death, her sister said 'the world has lost a bright light, and our hearts are broken.'
'Everyone was drawn to my sister,' Castillo's sister wrote. 'She lit up every room she entered, effortlessly becoming the heart of any group. She lived boldly, without fear of judgment, and was endlessly creative, witty, loving, and determined.'
A GoFundMe echoed the sentiment, saying Castillo 'stood out—not just for her sense of humor and fierce independence, but also for her talent and determination.'
'More than anything, Tyna had a remarkable ability to connect with others—rooted in her genuine acceptance of people as they were,' the GoFundMe says.
Castillo is survived by her two children, according to her sister.
Needles is near the Arizona border, about a 260-mile drive northeast from Los Angeles.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indianapolis Star
27 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Low-head dams can be 'drowning machines.' Awareness and safety urged for summer outings
Amanda Malott's son Andre "AJ" Edwards Jr. was 14 when he went down to play near the Silver Creek dam with some friends last year. A large billboard loomed over the creek where the boys were headed, encouraging southern Indiana locals to 'Check out New Albany's Silver Creek Landing.' It depicted several people standing above a small dam, and one figure dangling their legs over the edge. The waterway empties into the Ohio River just less than a mile from Silver Creek Landing and was one of AJ's favorite spots to play outside, Malott said. Less than an hour after AJ left home, two police officers were knocking on Malott's door. They told her AJ hadn't resurfaced after jumping off the low-head dam into Silver Creek, which divides New Albany and Clarksville. First responders and volunteers found AJ's body after a lengthy search into the night. AJ's story is part of a growing number of tragic incidents involving low-head dams across Indiana and the United States. Around 170 low-head dams in various states of disrepair sit in Indiana's rivers and creeks, and many have deadly currents that can trap even the strongest swimmers. At least 28 people in the state drowned in these underwater currents since 2010. Victims included a conservation officer with nearly three decades of experience who died in 1998 during a practice-rescue operation on the White River. AJ's tragedy pushed Malott to file a lawsuit, adding to the growing legal debate over low-head dam safety in Indiana. In March, the family of two kayakers who drowned at the Emrichsville Dam last year sued Indianapolis, alleging city officials knew about the 'lethal danger' of the dam but failed to place proper warning signage. Malott hopes her suit will help provide accountability and raise awareness around low-head dams, which Ken Smith, DNR's assistant director of the Division of Water, called 'drowning machines' in a 2016 PBS documentary. AJ's sister has set up a GoFundMe to support the family. Thousands of low-head dams were built across the U.S. in the 19th and 20th centuries. They typically aren't higher than 15 feet, yet they're capable of altering habitats and raising water levels. By creating slower pools of water upstream, low-head dams allowed industrial, municipal and agricultural entities to easily divert water. But many of these structures have outlived their purpose. They sit abandoned in streams and rivers because they're tricky and expensive to remove — sometimes costing nearly a million dollars — and ownership is not always clear. These outdated dams are still posing a risk for Hoosiers today. From the water, they can look small and unassuming, but they've continually proven to be deadly to swimmers and kayakers. As water flows over the crest of the dam, it can form deadly hydraulic currents. This phenomenon can trap swimmers in a sort of sideways vortex that experts say is almost impossible to escape. 'It's basically a cyclone or a whirlpool turned on its side,' said Scott Salmon, the former executive director of Friends of the White River. 'Once you get stuck in there, whether you're a person or you're a tree or you're a boat, the chances of you getting out of that … is very, very low.' Low-head dam safety boils down to three points: Wear a life jacket for the entirety of your trip on the water, don't go paddling when the water level is abnormally high, and figure out in advance where you will low-head dams and other potential threats. Hoosiers should always wear life jackets while recreating in a body of water, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The jackets should be in working condition, fit properly, and United States Coast Guard approved. Wearing a life jacket isn't a guarantee of safety in the face of low-head dams, but 'it won't hurt,' Salmon said. Capt. Jet Quillen, with DNR's Law Enforcement Division, advised boaters to 'always avoid elevated water levels and fast-moving water' in an email to IndyStar. Boaters can check the National Water Dashboard for safety information about Indiana waterways. And lastly, creating a float plan can mitigate danger. Prior to departure, Quillen recommended noting any nearby hazards, like low-head dams, and planning for where you will put in and take out. There are low-head dams across the state without proper signage, so the Indiana Low-Head Dams map is one of the most comprehensive resources for finding existing dams that might intersect your float. The dam on Silver Creek was embroiled in disputes and lawsuits even before AJ's death. One of the ongoing fights started in 2021 after DNR issued a permit to Ecosystems Connections Institute to remove the dam. New Albany pushed back. In a legal filing, the city said destroying the dam 'constitutes an unlawful and unconstitutional taking of property.' A judge let the removal permit move forward, and New Albany filed an appeal. The city has since claimed, in a 109-page document Director of City Operations Michael Hall shared with IndyStar, that no one knows who owns the dam and "DNR refused any ownership or responsibility." The document also claimed removing the dam would 'severely impact the recreation opportunities available in the creek, such as fishing and wading." After AJ's death, New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan declared a State of Emergency and the city attempted to make the dam safer by adding stones on the downstream slope to eliminate the hydraulic current. The action resulted in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ordering the removal of the rock because the city did not acquire a permit. The DNR filed a separate legal proceeding over the lack of a similar permit. Neither case has been resolved. The dangers of low-head dams — and their deadly currents specifically — have been known for years, according to Malott's lawsuit, which cites evidence from the dam removal case. Mallott accuses officials of New Albany, Clarksville, Clark and Floyd counties and the DNR of negligence for failing to post warning signs about the danger posed by the dam. 'How can you have something that the Indiana government acknowledges as a perfect drowning machine available for the public, small children, to recreate around?' said Jon Noyes, the attorney representing Malott. New Albany denied all counts in Malott's suit including that it owned, operated or controlled the dam, according to documents filed with the Marion Superior Court on June 5. Clarksville and Floyd County did not respond to IndyStar requests for comment, while Clark County and DNR said they do not discuss pending litigation. Malott's suit claims New Albany officials were notified in 2021 the dam is "dangerous to humans," and urged the city to "see the human safety value of removing this structure ..." The same year, Clarksville officials passed a resolution stating the dam was an "acknowledged 'attractive nuisance'" during high-water flows. Despite those concerns, the suit alleges the public was encouraged to recreate at the dam. The lawsuit said the Silver Creek Landing billboard was in place on May 27, 2024, when AJ and some friends went to the landing to explore and play. There were no signs warning them of the danger of what the boys called a waterfall, just the billboard. "As A.J. and his friends were jumping off the 'waterfall,'" the lawsuit says, "A.J. slipped and landed in deadly hydraulic currents, which took his life." Low-head dam removal provides safety for Hoosiers spending time outdoors and also bolsters wildlife habitat along Indiana waterways, especially for fish, according to Jerry Sweeten, a stream ecologist at the Ecosystems Connections Institute. Silver Creek feeds into the Ohio River, which allows fish to swim upstream from the larger water body — until they reach the dam. 'We know that 85 percent plus species of fish in Indiana need to move upstream and downstream as a part of their life history. That's just biology,' Sweeten said. 'Low-head dams can have a severe effect on that movement.' Sweeten's research found 15 fish species downstream of the dam, but only four species directly upstream. Throughout his career, he has noticed more invasive carp in the pools above low head dams and fewer smallmouth bass, which are a prized species for many local anglers. 'The science of all of this strongly suggests that the best thing you can do for the stream is to get that concrete out,' he said. Advocates of the dam say the structure creates more opportunities for recreation but Sweeten said that dam removal is almost always the best option. It can improve fishing, vitalize ecosystems, and most importantly, eradicate danger for Hoosiers outdoors. 'One of the saddest things I've ever heard in my entire career is listening to a mom or a sibling of a young person who needlessly lost their life at one of these dams. Why they're there is bewildering to me,' said Sweeten. 'How someone can justify leaving something that would cause someone else to get hurt like that is, it's just bewildering. It's hard to understand.' The Silver Creek area was AJ's favorite place to hang out with friends. He didn't know it was dangerous, Mallot said. AJ would never spend a sunny day inside, even during the winter, his mom said. He would go outside and meet up with friends every chance he could. The 14-year-old was a ball of light making friends wherever he went, Malott said. He wasn't just her son, he was her best friend, too. A few summers ago, Malott remembers AJ would take six or seven water bottles with him when he went outside to play with his friends. It turns out he was taking those bottles to some of the homeless community who lived out in the woods, she said. 'That kid would give you the shirt off his back and had a smile that lit up a room,' Malott said. A year later, Malott said her son's death at the dam still doesn't feel real. 'I'm still waiting," she said, "for him to come through the door.' IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at Follow him on BlueSky @
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
WATCH: Firefighters put out garage fire; almost $150K in damage done
Firefighters quickly put out a well-involved garage fire in Huber Heights on Wednesday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Huber Heights firefighters responded around 12:40 p.m. to the 7900 block of Thistlewood Court on reports of a garage fire. The department posted a video on social media. It shows the flames and black smoke surrounding the garage. Firefighters quickly extinguished it. TRENDING STORIES: Local woman trying to recover mom's Facebook account after stranger memorializes it 'Whip/Nae Nae' rapper sentenced for murder of cousin Air Quality for parts of region; rainy Father's Day weekend possible A person was home at the time of the fire and got out safely, according to Huber Heights Battalion Chief Brandan Deere. The fire did not spread to any other homes. A neighbor's home sustained minor heat damage. Deere told News Center 7 that the estimated cost of damages is $100,000 to the structure and $45,000 in contents. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Minister refuses to resign over 'reckless' Facebook post
A Stormont minister has rejected calls for him to resign over a social media post about the location of migrant families who left their homes hours before the centre was attacked. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said that people caught up in clashes in Ballymena were being temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre. It was later attacked by about a crowd of 100 people and set on fire. The minister was accused of being "reckless and dangerous" by Alliance assembly member Danny Donnelly who was in the leisure centre when a crowd of about 100 smashed windows and set bins on fire inside. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said Lyons should reflect on his comments, while the Green Party called for Lyons to resign. The attack on Larne Leisure Centre came during a third night of violence in Northern Ireland. Police have been attacked with fireworks, bottles and bricks during the disorder. The worst of the rioting was in Ballymena, but unrest also spread to other towns, including Larne, about 20 miles (30km) away, on Wednesday evening. The fire service said that fire damage to the centre had been "contained mainly to the front reception but there was extensive smoke damage". In a statement on Wednesday night, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said the families placed at the centre had all been "safely relocated" and were no longer using the centre. However, Lyons has been criticised for an earlier Facebook post in which he said he had been made aware that "a number of individuals were temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre". Sinn Fein Minister John O'Dowd called on Lyons to consider his position. He said the post was "unacceptable" and it failed to show leadership. Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly said: "I thought it was incredibly reckless and dangerous to highlight the location of where these people were being kept and brought to a place of safety." Justice Minister Naomi Long also criticised the communities minister, adding: "I don't think his comments were measured or wise". The SDLP's Matthew O'Toole said he would refer Lyons to the standards commissioner over his comments, saying "lives are at stake". Lyons has defended his comments saying the information was in the public domain, and had been confirmed by the local council. "I will very strongly hit back at any notion that I had revealed the use of this facility to the public when the protest was already planned, when everybody knew what was happening," Lyons told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme. He added that "the police had got in contact with our local councillors to say: 'We need to defuse the situation and let people know that this is or should no longer be the focus of any protest'." Green Party councillor Áine Groogan accused the minister of choosing to "stir division and deflect from his own failures". "This isn't leadership. It's cowardice. And it proves what many already know: Gordon Lyons is unfit for public office and should resign." The trouble began on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena, County Antrim. During the first two nights of disorder, 32 officers were injured and six people arrested. In Ballymena on Wednesday, smoke bombs, fireworks, bottles and bricks were thrown at police during a stand-off with a gathered crowd. A row of six police Land Rovers advanced on the crowd, with officers in full riot gear pushing a number of individuals back. Police also deployed dogs and a water cannon. Earlier on Wednesday it was confirmed that a significant number of extra police officers were being deployed into areas affected. Police Scotland has agreed to send officers, after police in Northern Ireland requested extra support under mutual aid arrangements.
