Mother and Daughter Murdered; Man Flees With Child, May be in Guatemala

In another horrifying incident of domestic violence, a woman and her daughter were killed at their home in San Ignacio over the weekend, and her son was taken by his biological father. Tonight Bryan Castillo and the boy are on the run, and may have already crossed over into Guatemala. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the story.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

On Sunday night, tragedy struck inside this small apartment complex in the Santiago Juan Area in San Ignacio.  Landlord Manuel Garcia lives on the property and was at home at the time.

Manuel Castillo, LandLord

Manuel Castillo

“The gial weh pregnant deh side to fih he room the halla me, “Mr. Manuel, Mr. Manuel.” I open my door and she, “weh happen, you ready fih geh the baby?”. She say, “no the man kill the wife and the lee gial.”

Bryan Castillo was inside this apartment along with his common law wife thirty-three year old Jennifer Archilla, his stepdaughter twelve year old Nitzia Catzim and his seven year old biological son.  Just before nine p.m., police say Castillo allegedly used a kitchen knife to kill Archilla and Catzim.  The incident has shocked those who know the family.

Manuel Castillo

“I feel nervous and I get lost, because this is something really sad 5:10

Castillo and Archilla met at Mista Tortilla Factory where they were both employed. Owner at the factory, Jason Neal says Castillo was a long time employee.”

Jason Neal, Owner, Mista Tortilla Factory

Jason Neal

“He get to meet her right here when she came to ask me for a job. I gave her and they start to date or, and that is how I knew them.”

Paul Lopez

“I received some information that there may have been time when he showed some sort of jealous rage. Tell us a bit about that.”

Jason Neal

“Well, in one instance I saw that he was very jealous. But, I didn’t know that he was that jealous to do this crime. I saw him a couple times, I saw him. He would like jealous her like, “Who are you texting, who are you texting with, who call?”

Today, Mista Tortilla Factory is shuttered. A black ribbon hangs at the entrance. Neal says the death of the twelve year old, allegedly at the hands of Castillo, hurts the most.

Jason Neal

“Every day she would come and sit inside while her mom is doing tortilla. She would play with my little boy. Sometimes she would come over and sleep over at my house. So, it really touched my hear, especially the little girl, cause we were attached.”

Archilla’s family appeared to know little about Bryan Castillo.  We spoke to Archilla’s cousin, Christian Hernandez.

Christian Alexander Hernandez, Cousin of Deceased

Christian Alexander Hernandez

“We didn’t have any relationship with him before. I didn’t know him in the first place. And, I can’t respond to that question, because I didn’t have any relations with him. And, even though this happened, I still don’t know who he is within that shell he has in his head, within his scalp. I don’t know what state of mind he had at this moment. I cannot say if he was drunk, and alcoholic or a drug addict. I am still asking those questions.”

But, according to Hernandez, Archilla’s family simply wants justice.

Christian Alexander Hernandez

“We don’t want to know anything about him. We just want justice, to pay for what he did. This is like an assassin execution. This is not a dog, this is not a butcher house. This is human beings. Everyone have conscience of soul. But remember, we don’t know everyone’s state of mind, what they are thinking 7:52

Castillo fled the murder scene with his biological son who was being raised solely by his mother and grandfather, until two weeks ago when Castillo asked for time with his son.”

Patty Mendez Ponce

Patty Mendez Ponce, Aunt of Darwin Castillo

“He is a very quiet child. He is very quiet, but he is very happy when he is around his dad, well he calls dad, he is actually his grandfather. But he has been with him since he was six months old. Now that his father asked that he want to spend time with him, we think about it. But, since he is his father, we wanted him to meet his father, because we never know what could happen to us. So we just wanted to make him pass some time with the kid.”

Ponce says there are eye witnesses who saw Bryan driving through Arenal Village into Guatemala with the child. His mother, Irma Mendez is overtaken with grief and wants her son returned safely.

Irma Mendez, Mother of Darwin Castillo

Irma Mendez

“I just hope that my son appear. I pray to God my son could appear.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez