In a tragic turn of events on March 3, 2020, 15-year-old Anthony Michael Castillo, a Hispanic male, was fatally wounded inside the Desert Sky Mall in Phoenix, Arizona. The incident, which occurred around 3:30 p.m., stemmed from a verbal dispute between two groups of young people that quickly and violently escalated. In the midst of the confrontation, Anthony was shoved and then shot in the head.
He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries the following day, March 4, 2020.
The man responsible for the shooting, identified as 27-year-old Daymond Deray Hayes, fled the scene immediately after the incident. Phoenix police launched an investigation and were able to identify and locate Hayes, arresting him on March 5, 2020, near Central Avenue and Broadway Road. During questioning, Hayes claimed that he acted in self-defense, stating he believed Anthony was armed at the time of the altercation. However, investigators found no weapon on the teenager.
In July 2023, Daymond Deray Hayes pleaded guilty to the shooting of Anthony Castillo and was sentenced to 19.5 years in prison. The untimely death of the young man deeply impacted his family and the wider community. In the wake of their loss, Anthony's relatives established a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral expenses. Remembered as a caring and loving individual who was always looking out for others, Anthony's family made the decision to donate his organs, a choice that provided a gift of life to others in the midst of their own tragedy.
