A deranged Minnesota man with a violent past stabbed his wife to death during a family bible study at a relative’s home earlier this week, officials said.
Robert Castillo, 40, of St. Paul was charged with second-degree murder of his wife, 41-year-old Corinna Woodhull, after allegedly knifing her repeatedly at a St. Paul residence around 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.
When they arrived at the house, they found Woodhull with severe stab wounds to her torso, chest and arms and Castillo pinned down to the floor by several people, CBS News Minnesota reported.
Woodhull, a mother of five, was taken to Regions Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Castillo’s sister told investigators that she hosts a bible study at the home on Tuesday nights for members of the family.
Woodhull and Castillo arrived uneventfully and sat next to each other on a couch, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the news outlet.
At one point during the meeting, Castillo whispered something in Woodhull’s ear, and then allegedly stabbed his wife repeatedly, according to the complaint.
Family members sprung up and tackled and disarmed Castillo.
One witness told police if they had not gotten the knife away from him, they believe he would have stabbed more people.
Woodhull’s death was officially ruled a homicide by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office, CBS Minnesota reported.
After his arrest, Castillo told investigators he and Woodhull had been legally married for a couple years and lived together in Golden Valley up until a month ago. He declined to say why the couple no longer lived together, and then demanded his attorney, according to the complaint.
Castillo’s brother, who was also at the Bible study during the stabbing, told cops Woodhull and his brother had been having marital problems.
At the time of the killing, Castillo had an active warrant out for failing to appear for a pretrial hearing for fourth-degree assault charges in neighboring Washington County, police noted in the complaint.
In that incident, he allegedly assaulted a prison guard while locked up.
Castillo has eight prior felony convictions, including first-degree assault, second-degree assault, possession of a firearm by an ineligible person and second-degree burglary.
The second-degree assault conviction was for beating the apparent mother of his child with a hammer, causing substantial bodily harm, according to the news outlet.
Castillo faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted.
