St. Paul, Minnesota. — A Minnesota man was sentenced to more than 33 years in jail after stabbing his wife to death during a Bible study.
Robert Castillo, 41, who pled guilty to second-degree murder in March, apologized in court on Friday for killing his wife, Corinna Woodhull, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. They have been married for about two years and have five children, aged 11 to 24.
Castillo’s sister informed authorities that she hosted a weekly Bible study at her St. Paul home. On the night of March 21, 2023, the couple was seated on a couch when Castillo murmured something into Woodhull’s ear. After she shook her head “no,” Castillo took out a hunting knife and stabbed her several times until his own family intervened.
His attorney, Mark Austin, told the court that Castillo’s last memory as a free man was early that morning when he went high with a friend and ingested so much that he couldn’t remember what happened next. He petitioned Ramsey County District Judge Richard Kyle for a sentence of only 25 years, claiming Castillo was regretful.
“I’m taking full responsibility for my actions, even if I don’t recall anything that happened that day due to my … drug-induced psychosis,” Castillo said before the judge.
According to Prosecutor Dan Rait, Castillo has a history of causing harm to those close to him.
The judge imposed a sentence of 33 1/3 years. In Minnesota, defendants typically serve two-thirds of their sentences in prison and the remainder on supervised release.
Castillo has eight previous felony convictions, including second-degree assault for hitting another lady with a hammer in 2014. Castillo was on rigorous supervised release at the time of the knife attack, and a warrant for his arrest was issued when he failed to appear at a court hearing on accusations of assaulting two correctional guards at the Stillwater State Prison in 2020.
Members of both Woodhull and Castillo’s families advised her not to marry him.
“It’s a testament to the kind of person she was that she went through with it, thinking she could help him,” according to the lawyer. “I can’t believe that she knew her wedding vows would ultimately be her death sentence.”
Linda Castle, Woodhull’s mother, claimed she discovered divorce papers in her daughter’s car after she died.
“She knew it was time to walk away, and that’s why she’s dead,” Castle claimed.
Afterward, Castle delivered a warning against domestic violence: “Women must understand that this type of behavior is not acceptable. It’s not okay.
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