By Travis Uresk
3/16/24
Uintah Co, Ut.— On 3/14/24, at 1:30 pm, a female (victim2) came into the Uintah County Sheriff's Office to file a missing persons report. Victim2 reported that her mother (Victim1) had been missing from her home since she went to work on Wednesday, March 13th, 2024, at 9 pm.
Victim2 stated that Victim 1 usually went to work in the mornings, and because of this, Victim2 and her father, 42-year-old Rafael Jorge Castro, went to Victim 1's work to find her. Victim1 was located at the business by Victim2.
On 3/15/24, at 5:30 pm, victim2 came back to the Sheriff's Office stating that her mother was on her way to report being abused by her husband, Rafael Castro.
During the interview, Victim1 stated, helped through a translator, that she came home late from work the morning of March 10th when Rafael became jealous, saying she had been out with other men. She stated Rafael punched her on the right side of her head and then slapped her face.
Victim1 said Rafael has threatened to kill her multiple times during their relationship and wouldn't be found by her family or children. Also, during the interview, Victim1 stated that Rafael had made threats of taking their small children out of the state/country, possibly to Mexico.
After a verbal argument on March 8th, Victim1 stated Rafael had hit her on the back of the head and was threatened with a knife as he held it against her torso, telling Victim1 he was going to kill her.
On March 7th, Victim1 said she and Rafael had gotten into an argument when Rafael hit her in the upper chest while they were in the bedroom, waking up one of their children. Rafael threw a pillow at the child and yelled, "Go back to bed, or he will get slapped."
During the interview with Victim2, she stated before meeting with the deputies on March 15th, Rafael made a statement to Victim2 saying he would kill Victim1 if she returned home. Victim2 stated that Rafael also made the statement that he would lock Victim 1 in a room, and no one would see her again.
During the interview, Victim2 provided photos of Victim1 as potential evidence of abuse, as well as audio recordings of Rafael making statements of threats and abuse toward Victim1.
During this time, it was discovered that Rafael was currently in the Sheriff's Office parking lot. Contact was made, and Rafael was detained pending further investigation.
On March 15th, 2024, Rafael had his Miranda Rights read to him while in the Uintah County Jail, and he agreed to speak with officers. While speaking with Rafael, a correctional officer in the jail was used as an interpreter.
Rafael was asked about his relationship with Victim1 and if he had ever abused or assaulted his wife or children while in the home. Rafael denied any form of abuse ever occurred between his wife, and he had never harmed his children.
The offender is a Mexican National and has stated to the victim that he would take the children and flee to another state or county if law enforcement was notified regarding these charges.
