California Man, Jose Rafael “Rafa” Solano Landaeta Found Guilty of Beheading Mother of His Child, Karina Castro with Samurai Sword in Public

A man from California, Jose Rafael “Rafa” Solano Landaeta, was found guilty by a jury for beheading Karina Castro, the mother of his child, with a samurai sword. 

The incident, which occurred on a street in San Carlos, a suburb near San Francisco, shook the community in September 2022. Despite claiming self-defense, Solano admitted to the act. 

He cited fear for his life, alleging that Castro approached him with a knife, leading him to swing the sword in defense.

The trial revealed escalating tensions between Solano and Castro, described as a toxic relationship. 

Accusations from Castro about Solano being a pedophile and rapist, coupled with Solano's response using ninja emojis in private messages, reflected their growing animosity. 

Witnesses recounted a heated argument between the two on the street, leading to a violent attack where Solano retrieved the sword from his car and repeatedly struck Castro until her head nearly detached.

During the trial, the prosecution emphasized the calculated nature of the attack, detailing Solano's actions leading up to the incident. 

Despite a plea initially of not guilty by reason of insanity, Solano was deemed fit for trial and changed his plea to a formal "not guilty," citing self-defense. The defense presented Solano's schizophrenia diagnosis as a contributing factor to his fear, referencing threatening messages from Castro. However, no evidence supported Castro initiating the violence.

Medical professionals testified against any connection between Solano's mental health and the gruesome act. 

Witnesses recounted the severity of the attack, mentioning the force of Solano's blows severing limbs. The court sentenced Solano to 26 years to life in prison, but for Castro's family, justice brought little solace.

 

[SOURCE]