Daniel Castillo, Ct'd…
This afternoon I spoke with Rick Dovalina, director of the Houston chapter of the Hispanic advocacy group LULAC, and who has served as spokesman for the Castillo family the last few days. According to Dovalina, police say they found what appear to be stems and seeds of marijuana, either in the Castillo home or in the yard behind it. Contrary to earlier reports, the victim's father, Daniel Castillo, Sr. was not arrested or charged with a crime.
Police did arrest a man in a white pick-up truck outside the house. The man was apparently dating one of the victim's sisters, and police claim they found crack cocaine in the vehicle.
Dovalina says Daniel Castillo, Jr. was unarmed, had no criminal record, and according to his father, was not involved in the drug trade. The police affidavit for the search warrant claims an unidentified informant saw crack being sold from the house. It names "David Castillo" as a possible suspect, then later, "Daniel Castillo." That tip and police observations of "traffic" at the Castillo home formed the basis of the forced-entry SWAT raid. No one but the police knows the identity of the informant.
According to his sister, Castillo was shot just below the eye as he rose up from his bed after hearing her scream. She was holding a 1-year-old child just a few feet from the shooting.
The police have still refused to comment. Dovalina and the Castillo family held a press conference today at noon Houston time. I wasn't able to watch it from D.C. I'm hoping to chat with Dovalina later this evening to get more information, and perhaps obtain a copy of the warrant and affidavit.