In the spring of 2003, a grim discovery was made in Phoenix, Arizona, that brought a tragic end to the life of 39-year-old Julie Castillo. Her decomposed body was found on April 12, 2003, concealed under a blanket inside a camper. The camper belonged to Cory Morris, who lived in the vehicle in the backyard of his aunt and uncle's residence. It was Morris's uncle who stumbled upon the horrific scene after noticing a foul odor and a swarm of flies around the camper.
The investigation into
Castillo's death quickly focused on Cory Morris. When questioned by police, he initially offered a story about Castillo dying from a drug overdose while he was away. However, as the interview progressed, his account shifted. Morris then claimed that Castillo had died accidentally during a consensual act of choking with a necktie during a sexual encounter. A necktie was indeed found around her neck. He admitted to keeping her body in his camper for approximately five days before it was discovered. An autopsy later determined the cause of death to be probable ligature strangulation. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, visible signs of trauma were not apparent.
The investigation revealed a more sinister pattern of behavior. Morris was not only a suspect in Castillo's death but was also implicated in the deaths of four other women whose bodies had been found nearby. During his trial, prosecutors presented videotapes of his confessions to all five murders. In July 2005, a jury found Cory Morris guilty on five counts of first-degree murder, including the murder of Julie Castillo. For his crimes, the jury determined that he should be sentenced to death.
