Santos Castro was 76 years old when he was fatally assaulted on Monday, Aug. 18, 2014, on Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died after sustaining blunt force trauma near Whittier Boulevard and Sadler Avenue. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau case. An obituary listing gives his dates as Aug. 14, 1938, to Aug. 18, 2014, which means he had turned 76 just four days earlier.
Castro lived in Montebello. He was a Navy veteran and suffered from dementia, and his family said he never came home from his nightly walk. According to the Sheriff's Department, he was standing in front of a Carl's Jr. restaurant in the 5600 block of Whittier Boulevard when he became involved in a struggle over a bicycle with a man. "At the time of the incident, Mr. Castro became involved in a struggle over a bicycle with an unknown male Hispanic suspect. During the struggle, the suspect punched Mr. Castro several times in the head, knocking him to the sidewalk," Lt. Steve Jauch said. Deputies said the assault happened at 8:23 p.m. Castro was taken to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 10:45 p.m.
Three months later, on Nov. 12, detectives and his family appealed to the public. Investigators released surveillance video showing the suspect inside the Carl's Jr. shortly before the attack. "I miss my husband very, very much. I miss him. I don't know why they did that to him, and I can't be without him," his wife, Leandra Castro, said. A granddaughter, Arleen Negrete, said, "This person is still out there and he has to be turned in." Another granddaughter, Rena Vasquez, said, "My grandpa was an elderly man who meant no harm to anyone." He was known for performing magic tricks for his seven children and many grandchildren and for his love of singing. He was also survived by three sisters and four brothers.
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated community just east of the city of Los Angeles, policed by the Sheriff's Department. It is one of the best-known Mexican American communities in the United States, and Whittier Boulevard is its main commercial street, lined with shops, restaurants and fast-food outlets. The Sheriff's Department and most news reports placed the attack in East Los Angeles, while the Los Angeles Times account placed it in Commerce, the neighboring city.
Hundreds of people are killed in Los Angeles County every year, and a large share of those killings end without an arrest. The surveillance image released in this case was a real lead, yet no arrest followed in any report that could be found.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Santos Castro could be found in news archives or public records. More than 11 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Someone who was at or near the Carl's Jr. in the 5600 block of Whittier Boulevard on the evening of Aug. 18, 2014, or who recognizes the man in the surveillance video, may hold the answer his family has waited for. Even a small detail, such as a name overheard, a vehicle seen nearby or a conversation remembered, can help detectives move a case forward. Anyone with information can contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
