Edward Castro

Case details

Edward Castro was condemned for the choking and stabbing death of 56-year-old Austin Carter Scott.

Timeline

• December 7, 2000 — Edward Castro was executed by lethal injection at 6:15 p.m. Thursday at Florida State Prison in Starke.
• November 14, 1997 — Edward Castro told Circuit Judge Jack Singbush he was competent to represent himself and was ready to die.
• January 4, 1987 — George Larry Hill was killed; Castro later told detectives he killed Hill.
• January 1987 — Edward Castro was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death for the January 1987 stabbing murder of Austin Scott in an Ocala apartment complex.
• 1987 — Castro confessed to three murders.
• 1988 — Castro was condemned for robbery and sentenced to death for that conviction.
• 1991 — Castro received a life sentence on the second count.
• 1997 — The Supreme Court sent the case back to correct errors in the penalty phase; the jury again recommended death.
• 6:01 p.m. — Castro was given the chance to make a last statement in the death chamber.
• 6:02 p.m. — A deadly potassium chloride mixture rushed into Castro’s veins.
• 6:15 p.m. — A medical doctor declared Castro dead.
• 6:15 p.m. Thursday — Castro was pronounced dead according to Gov. Jeb Bush’s office.

The offence

Austin Carter Scott, aged 56, was lured to Castro’s room in Ocala by the promise of Old Milwaukee beer. Castro told authorities he began choking Scott before pulling a knife from his sock. Castro told authorities: "I remember looking at his face, and it was purple. I told him, "Hey man, you've lost. Dig it?' That's when I started stabbing him.'"

In all, Castro stabbed Scott 8 times in the chest. Scott also had 3 defensive wounds on his arms. The medical examiner said the thrusts penetrated Scott’s lungs and his chest cavity filled with blood, and Scott died within minutes.

Castro told authorities he confessed to the stabbing deaths of George Larry Hill of St. Petersburg and Claude J. Henderson of Polk County. Castro also told authorities he killed George Larry Hill. Castro told detectives he preyed on older men in hopes of getting money and their cars.

Additional alleged murders

George Larry Hill was described as an interior designer. Hill was killed, and Castro was serving a life term for that murder. A week before Austin Scott’s death, George Hill was found bound and gagged. Nathan Jerry Hill, 64, was said to be Hill’s identical twin brother, and he stayed in his Tampa apartment during the execution. Nathan Jerry Hill said: "I feel weak in the knees"

Claude J. Henderson, described as being from Polk County, was among the men Castro confessed to murdering, but Castro was never tried for Henderson’s death.

Investigation and arrest

When Castro was later arrested in Columbia County, he confessed to the slaying of Austin Carter Scott and led officials to Scott’s body. The gruesome details of Castro’s story led Ocala police detectives to the basement room of a home where he said that he strangled and stabbed 56-year-old Austin Scott to death in order to steal his car.

Castro also confessed to killing a Polk County man and to killing a man from Saint Petersburg because Castro thought the man had stolen his wallet.

Castro was picked up in Lake City on drunk and disorderly charges and later confessed to police about a much more violent and disturbing crime. The murders took place 55 miles away from the prison in Ocala.

Trial

Edward Castro was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death for the January 1987 stabbing murder of Austin Scott in an Ocala apartment complex. The Supreme Court sent the case back to correct errors in penalty phase, and the jury again recommended death by a vote of 8-to-4. The Supreme Court affirmed the sentence.

Castro also challenged the validity of his sentence.

Castro fired all his attorneys and told a judge he was ready to die. In 1997, Castro told Circuit Judge Jack Singbush: "To proceed any further would be to allow myself something I never allowed my victim, the opportunity to beg for my life."

At a Nov. 14 hearing, Castro again told Judge Jack Singbush he was competent to represent himself and did not want any appeals filed to save his life. He said: "There is nothing going on and the indication is that nothing will be going on," in the hearing. Assistant Attorney General Ken Nunnelly said: "Of course that could change 5 minutes from now."

A warrant was signed for his execution on Nov. 14.

Sentencing

Castro was sentenced to life in prison for George Larry Hill’s death and was never tried for Claude J. Henderson’s death.

Castro was condemned for robbery and received further sentencing related to counts described as:

• 1988 + five years for robbery
• life on second count, 1991

Appeals

Castro in recent years fired all his attorneys and did not file or pursue last-minute appeals. He sent letters to the clemency board expressing his desire to waive any review of his sentence. He was considered for clemency in September.

Attorneys at the state agency in Tallahassee that handles state inmate death appeals declined comment on the Castro case. Craig Waters, a spokesman for the Florida Supreme Court, said: "It is certainly unusual," and "In the 14 years I've been here it has never happened."

ProDeathPenalty.com described Castro as a 2-time killer who chose not to have an attorney or file any last-minute appeals.

Execution

Prison officials carried out the execution without incident.

Edward Castro was executed on December 7, 2000 at Florida State Prison in Starke. He was the sixth prisoner to die by lethal injection, and he was Florida’s seventh execution and the 50th person executed in Florida since the state resumed the death penalty in 1979.

In the death chamber, the prison guard snapped back the curtain, revealing a prostrate Edward Castro with arms outstretched and needles planted in each. Castro turned his head to the right as if he could see through the one-way window of the witness gallery. He smiled, like he recognized someone, then winked.

At 6:01, Castro was given the chance to make a last statement. He had already polished off a T-Bone steak and accepted an injection of Valium. Castro made a last statement: "Tell my mother I love her, and I'd like to take the opportunity to apologize to the families of the victims," said Castro, 50, staring at the ceiling where the microphone hung.

Castro then said: "everybody who's shown me love. That's it." He then closed his eyes.

At 6:02 p.m., the deadly potassium chloride mixture rushed into Castro’s veins. A minute later, his eyes jerked open and fluttered. His mouth twitched, and his head rose several inches off the gurney’s small blue pillow. Then his body relaxed, his eyes shut again, and he appeared not to breathe. The medical doctor declared him dead at 6:15 p.m.

Thirteen official witnesses sat silently and unmoving for the 13 minutes in between.

Family members of the condemned were not allowed to watch the execution. Castro’s mother, along with seven other siblings or relatives, bade him goodbye for the full three hours allowed Thursday by prison officials. C.J. Drake, spokesman for the Florida Department of Corrections, said officials hadn’t been able to locate the families of Castro’s victims.

Other details

Castro was described as a California drifter who confessed in 1987 to three murders. He was 50 years old at the time of execution.

Castro’s final meal included a T-bone steak, fried shrimp, fried potatoes, fried onion rings, fried tomatoes, ice cream and Coca-Cola. He had final visits with family members, a Gainesville lawyer, and religious representatives.

Castro told authorities he taunted Scott in the moments before his death: "Hey man, you've lost. Dig it?"

Motive was described as "Robbed/stabbed men met in Pinellas and Marion county bars." SEX was listed as "M"; RACE was listed as "H"; and TYPE was listed as "N".