Louis Castro Perez

Identification

Louis Castro Perez was listed as a condemned killer with TDCJ Number 999328. He was born 01/08/1962 and was Hispanic, male. His hair color was Black, his height was 5' 10", his weight was 283, and his eye color was Brown. He was from Travis County, Texas. His prior occupation was Travis Texas Carpenter, Laborer. His prior prison record was None.

Timeline

• 09/10/1998 — Louis Castro Perez entered the residence of victims in Austin, Texas, and struck two adult victims with a cast iron skillet, then strangled a 9-year-old with a pair of panty hose, resulting in three deaths.
• 10/20/1999 — Perez was sentenced to death.
• 04/04/2006 — News 8 Austin reported that the Travis County District Attorney's Office planned to retest DNA evidence in the case of Louis Castro Perez.

Background

Louis Castro Perez was sentenced to death on October 20, 1999. His condemned killer's hopes rested on DNA evidence.

The offence

On 09/10/98, in Austin, Texas, Perez entered the residence of a 38 year old white female and a her daughter, a 10 year old black female. Also occupying the home was a 30 year old white female. Perez struck the two adult victims on the head with a cast iron skillet, resulting in their deaths. Perez then strangled the 9 year old with a pair of panty hose, also resulting in her death.

Race and gender of victim: 2 adult white females, 1 nine year old black female.

The victims named were Cinda Barz, Michelle Fulwiler, and Barz's 9-year-old daughter.

Investigation and evidence

Advances in DNA technology could lead to new information on items left at the crime scene, including a skillet, cigarette butts, a telephone cord, pantyhose and a towel. The evidence was on its way to the Texas Department of Public Safety's crime lab, where it would be tested for new DNA samples. Any new DNA detected could belong to Perez, the victims or another person.

Trial and sentencing

Perez was sentenced to death on October 20, 1999. The death penalty was described as the ultimate punishment that Perez was facing.

Appeals

The Travis County District Attorney's Office said it would retest DNA evidence in the case of Louis Castro Perez. The Perez family asked the Travis County District Attorney's Office to take another look at evidence, including items from the crime scene that were never tested for DNA during the trial.

Prosecutors were in favor of the DNA testing, and said it was the right thing to do because Mr. Perez was facing the ultimate punishment, the death penalty.

Outcome

Louis Castro Perez was convicted in 1999 for 3 murders. He was sentenced to death on October 20, 1999.

Aftermath

News 8 Austin April 4, 2006 reported that for the 1st time, the family of an Austin man on Texas' death row spoke out.

Perez's sister, schoolteacher Delia Perez-Meyer, stated: "I spend most of my waking hours thinking about it. I live, eat, sleep and breathe Louis Castro Perez,"

Delia Perez-Meyer said: "We never believed my brother committed that crime, never, not for a second,"

She recalled visiting her brother in Huntsville and stated: "He says 'Did you hear the news?' and I said, 'Did you hear the news!' He said the guards woke him up at 2 in the morning and handed him the newspapers,"

Travis County Assistant District Attorney Buddy Meyer stated: "It's the right thing to do. Mr. Perez is facing the ultimate punishment, the death penalty,"

Delia Perez-Meyer said: "The truth is going to come out. We know that the railroad serial killer murdered those girls,"

She referred to another man on death row, Angel Maturino Resendiz. Delia Perez-Meyer said: "She's referring to another man on death row, Angel Maturino Resendiz. Resendez has been convicted of one murder and is suspected in at least 14 other killings nationwide; all were committed near freight rail lines."

Delia Perez-Meyer stated: "Perez-Meyer believes Resendez was the one who came to the home of Fulwiler and Barz, which sat just a mile away from the train tracks."

She stated: "Her brother was dating one of the women, and was the first to discover their bodies, and that is why police found her brother's handprint in blood at the crime scene, she said."

Delia Perez-Meyer stated: "It was just the epitome of being at the wrong place at the wrong time,"

She said: "The new DNA tests will look for any matches to Resendiz's profile, but they believe they had the right guy all along, prosecutor's said."

Buddy Meyer stated: "I'm confident in the conviction of Louis Castro Perez for the murder of those three people. If I'm wrong then the system did what it needed to do and it worked,"

The DA's office said it could take anywhere from a few weeks to two months for DNA test results to come back. Delia Perez-Meyer stated: "We just want him to come home so we can all pick up our lives where we left off,"