Home Invasion on Old Northern Road Leaves Woman Injured

There was a home invasion very early Sunday morning, at a farm one mile into the old Northern Highway. It happened on the thirty acre homestead owned by Hipolito Castillo. Reports are that six young men armed with sticks broke down two doors of the home and forced their way in. In the ensuing melee fifty-seven year old Marlene Rufenucht, who leases a home on the property, was hit in the head with a stick before the invaders ran off. Mike Rudon visited the home this morning and has the story.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

This well tended farm belongs to seventy-five year old retiree Hipolito Castillo. He raises sheep and cattle, and even iguanas. The setting is peaceful and the surroundings quiet, but on Sunday morning at around one, Castillo woke up to find his home under attack.

Hipolito Castillo

Hipolito Castillo, Victim of Home Invasion

“The lady who lives over there, she came here and she told me inside that the dog is barking and she saw somebody walking in the yard, and all of a sudden then bam the door came down, and the next door came down. That’s the way they got in. This is the door for the house. They used a cement door to break the door to get inside.”

The six men forced their way into the home through two doors – one as you saw smashed to bits by a cement block and the other kicked in. They demanded money and immediately started ransacking the place, even as fifty-seven year old Marlene Rufenucht tried to fight them off.

Frederick Gordon

Insp. Frederick Gordon, Rural Executive Officer

“A female who is the caretaker was at the house of one Mr. Polo Castillo. He was at home but in separate areas of the house whereas he heard the commotion and he came out. He had a firearm and he discharged the firearm, causing the people to disperse from the area. But nothing was stolen from the house with the exception of the maid that works for Polo Castillo. She received injuries. When the area was invaded the lady got hurt. We understand she was hit with a piece of stick.”

Hipolito Castillo

“What they said was that they’re looking for the old man weh have money. That is what they said…weh di old man deh weh have money. She was trying to stop them with a machete. They used a stick to knock her in the head. When the people were coming to get in I went into my room to see if anybody is in there, and it looks like a block hit something that made noise. I believe that when they knocked the door down they heard ‘bam’ and then the guys ran.”

While Police claim that Castillo discharged his firearm to scare off the attackers, Castillo claims he doesn’t own a firearm. He says he did, but it was stolen one year ago during another home invasion. Mike Rudon for News Five.

Rufenucht, who was treated for the injury to her head at the K.H.M.H., told police that one of the men had demanded entry prior to the doors being broken down, claiming he was a police officer. Ladyville Police have three men in custody for questioning in the home invasion.