RACHEL CASTILLO: California vs Zarbab Ali for 2022 murder of estranged wife *Trial In Progress*

Simi Valley family desperate for answers after mother of 2 vanishes, leaving bloody scene at home

A Simi Valley family is desperate for answers after their loved one -- a mother of two children -- disappeared and left behind a bloody scene at her home.

abc7.com

Simi Valley family desperate for answers after mother of 2 vanishes, leaving bloody scene at home​

A Simi Valley family is desperate for answers after their loved one -- a mother of two children -- disappeared under mysterious circumstances and left behind a bloody scene at her home.

Rachel Castillo's family is combing over what investigators have already sifted through and trying to find the slightest answers into why she vanished.

Castillo, 25, has two young children, is studying to become a therapist and lives with her sister just a few miles down the road from their parents.

"She's a great mother, she's a good daughter, she's a good sister, she's a good friend," Robyn Castillo said about her daughter.

Emily Castillo, the sister, came home Thursday night and upon walking into their apartment she immediately saw blood -- a lot of it.

"As soon as I saw the blood, that's when I realized something wasn't right," Emily said. "So I called my mom to let her know to come over and then I immediately called 911."

As she waited for help to arrive, Emily felt she had to do something.

"I was running around the house trying to see if I could find her somewhere," Emily said. "I checked her bathroom, under her bed, her closet, my closet, the laundry room, my bathroom and my bedroom but she wasn't anywhere in there."

Her mom arrived soon after and saw the mess firsthand. Rachel's phone, keys and car were all home without her.

Robyn says her first thought was that someone took her, but she doesn't know if that's what actually happened.

She added that Rachel dropped her sons off with their father earlier that morning. That was planned and they said they have no reason to believe he would've hurt her.

Detectives told the family they're looking into all possibilities, including other men she was potentially seeing, and if neighbors saw or heard anything.

"The most important thing is that she's a mother," Robyn said. "She has two little boys who are going to miss her, and we just want her home."


MEDIA - RACHEL CASTILLO: Missing from Simi Valley, CA since 10 Nov 2022 - Age 25

 

[GrandmaBear]

Yep paywall, tried, so can only go by post.

I don't blame the family. Been several excuses now.

As to court reporters they are archaic anyhow. Not trying to insult them, I have a cousin who has been doing it for years and is considered exceptional, and she IS, and I used to want to be one way back but the nearest program, having kids I couldn't have managed to attend.

And of course I don't want anyone to lose jobs as things get more automated but I've seen WRONG info too in transcripts. Not sure all are so good or not influenced.

In this day and age, VIDEO is the way to go making sure of course the volume is working and you name it.

Honestly not sure I understand this, and went into read and then hit the paywall, but there are court reporter services, at least here. I ran into my cousin at a hearing once, she doesn't work "for" a courthouse and she was brought in to cover an absence. Don't they do that there? Never ever heard of this excuse before. Is the whole state of court reporters on strike or something?

Our system needs to catch up with the times but it never does. Never will. Nor will laws and so on. More often NOTHING gets done as they just all do well nothing or argue... Yes a general political remark with no bias either way.

Just get so angry at stuff like this. I actually had to skim back here to refresh on the case and it is far from the first delay. Well they are heading for the usual earliest which is at least three years, the victim's family. WHAT about THEM? I get so disgusted. Maybe the ones who just agree with delays so easily or don't do their jobs should put themselves in the family shoes once, but they can't, because it is not describable. It almost can't be put into words. And the ones who want to do it, and aren't covering for a vacation or lack of doing their job, probably can't do it due to appeals and so many other reasons.

I couldn't read the article so kind of commenting blind but in no way should they not have been able to get a court reporter. What excuse is next.

And honestly, talking about the system now, I've been trying to figure out the answer to a thing or two. Perhaps attys should be limited to just one or two big cases, and public defenders, etc.. And I am thinking about defendants here too. And then expected to be available and do their jobs and they'd have far less conflicts (I read back).

Our system needs a LOT of help despite some good people in it.

Now it is court reporters, smdh. Roll eyes. If that happened to us, I'd have had a fit.

Again, I didn't/couldn't read the article.

Everything is just so inefficient these days too. And not just in this arena.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Zarbab Ali to face charges in connection to 2022 murder of Rachel Castillo of Simi Valley

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – Following a two-day preliminary hearing, Ventura County Superior Court Judge Paul Feldman determined that a trial can proceed

keyt.com

Zarbab Ali to face charges in connection to 2022 murder of Rachel Castillo of Simi Valley​

Following a two-day preliminary hearing, Ventura County Superior Court Judge Paul Feldman determined that a trial can proceed against Zarbab Ali of Hawthorne regarding the 2022 murder of Rachel Castillo of Simi Valley.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Ali will now go to trial on charges of murder {PC 187(a)} and unlawful mutilation, disinterment, or act of sexual contact with human remains {H&S 7052(a)} as well as the following special allegations:

• PC 12022(b)(1)-Use of a Deadly Weapon
• PC 190.2(a)(15)-Murder by Means of Lying in Wait
• PC 190.2(a)(1)-Murder for Financial Gain

"This was a senseless and brutal killing that shocked our community," said Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. "We remain committed to securing justice for Rachel Castillo and her loved ones for this horrific crime."

Ali is currently scheduled for an information arraignment on April 23, 2025, in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Heathen.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Special allegations to stand in killing of Simi Valley mother

A Ventura County judge has denied a defense motion to throw out special allegations in the murder case against a Simi Valley man accused of killing his estranged wife, clearing the way for a jury trial to begin Oct. 15. Zarbab Ali, 28, is charged with first-degree murder in the November 2022...

www.thecamarilloacorn.com

Special allegations to stand in killing of Simi Valley mother​

A Ventura County judge has denied a defense motion to throw out special allegations in the murder case against a Simi Valley man accused of killing his estranged wife, clearing the way for a jury trial to begin Oct. 15.

Zarbab Ali, 28, is charged with first-degree murder in the November 2022 stabbing death of 25-year-old Rachel Castillo, the mother of his two young sons.

Prosecutors allege the crime was premeditated, carried out by Ali lying in wait and motivated by financial gain. Ali has pleaded not guilty. He also faces a charge of defiling human remains.

At a Sept. 30 hearing, Superior Court Judge Derek Malan rejected a defense request to dismiss the special circumstances.

If proven, the special allegations would raise the penalty from 25 years to life with the possibility of parole to life in prison without parole.

Although the case qualifies for the death penalty, California has a moratorium on executions and prosecutors have not said they will seek it.

Public Defender Erik Aucoin argued the allegations should not stand, but Deputy District Attorney David Russell told the court evidence showed Ali deliberately turned off the lights in Castillo’s apartment and waited for her to emerge from the bathroom before attacking her in a narrow hallway.

“That is sufficient for lying in wait,” Russell said.

Malan agreed, calling it an “ambush from a position of advantage.”

​

On the allegation of financial gain, the judge pointed to testimony that Ali resented paying child support and believed his financial obligations would end with Castillo’s death. While Malan described that reasoning as “more nuanced,” he ruled there was enough evidence for a jury to consider it.

Prosecutors have also alleged Ali purchased a shovel with his children at a Simi Valley hardware store days before Castillo’s disappearance and searched online for guns, DNA evidence and penalties for first-degree murder. The knife used in the stabbing was never found.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Murder trial nears for Simi Valley man accused of killing ex-wife

Prospective jurors packed into a Ventura County courtroom this week as the murder trial of Zarbab Ali, the Simi Valley man accused of killing his estranged wife, moves closer to opening statements. The long-awaited trial begins just days after Ali quietly changed his plea to guilty for one of...

www.simivalleyacorn.com

Murder trial nears for Simi Valley man accused of killing ex-wife​

Prospective jurors packed into a Ventura County courtroom this week as the murder trial of Zarbab Ali, the Simi Valley man accused of killing his estranged wife, moves closer to opening statements.

The long-awaited trial begins just days after Ali quietly changed his plea to guilty for one of the charges tied to the 2022 killing of his 25-year-old wife, Rachel Castillo.

On Oct. 17, Ali changed his plea to guilty on a felony charge of unlawful mutilation, disinterment or sexual contact with human remains.

Ali, 28, remains in custody, held without bail, as jury selection begins for the first-degree murder trial set to start in the coming weeks.

On Oct. 30, dozens of potential jurors filed into Ventura County Superior Court’s room 24, where Judge Paul Feldman addressed them directly, reminding the room of the cornerstone of the justice system: the presumption of innocence.

“The fact that a criminal charge is filed against the defendant is not evidence that the charge is true,” Feldman told the prospective jurors. “You must not be biased against the defendant just because he was arrested, charged with a crime or brought to trial.”

Ali, dressed in a white shirt and black pants, sat quietly beside his public defender, Erik Aucoin, as the court distributed questionnaires to the prospective jurors. The forms will help attorneys for both sides narrow the pool before formal jury selection begins Nov. 5.

Feldman estimated that once the jury is seated, the trial could run through Dec. 12, with breaks for Veterans Day and Thanksgiving week.

Ali has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, which includes four special allegations: the use of a deadly weapon, committing murder by lying in wait, committing murder for financial gain and first-degree murder.

Prosecutors allege the 2022 killing was premeditated and financially motivated.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2025/11/12/trial-underway-in-slaying-of-simi-valley-mother-of-two/87214403007/

Trial underway for man accused of killing estranged Simi Valley wife​

The trial for Zarbab Ali, the man accused of killing his estranged wife in Simi Valley, will likely include evidence related to his alleged defilement of her body, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

Ali, a 28-year-old Hawthorne man, initially pleaded not guilty to both murder and the mutilation, disinterment or sexual assault of the human remains of Rachel Castillo, the 25-year-old mother of his two children.

On Oct. 17, he changed his plea for the latter charge to guilty, court records show. The plea would typically prevent the prosecution from presenting evidence related to the charge to the jury, but the judge ruled that the allegations can still be included.

Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell and public defender Erik Aucoin began the trial Nov. 6 with opening statements. The prosecution’s witnesses have since discussed the investigation in the days after Castillo was reported missing.


The Simi Valley Police Department responded to an apartment complex in the 300 block of Country Club Drive, the night of Nov. 10, 2022. Castillo’s sister, who shared the apartment, called 911 after discovering that there was blood in the unit and her sister and nephews weren’t there.

Simi Valley officer Sholah Yi, who arrived at the scene just after 8:30 p.m., testified last week that he saw fresh drops of blood on the living room floor and hallway walls, as seen in photos presented to the jury. He said his partner told him to leave the apartment after discovering a significant amount of blood in one of the bedrooms.

Yi said Castillo’s mother called Ali, who told the officers that his two sons were with him at his parents’ home in Victorville. A San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputy conducted a wellness check at the house and confirmed that the boys were safe.

Chris Mulligan, a Simi Valley detective, testified last week with the aid of photos that he discovered paper towels, a broom, and a mop — all covered in blood — in the complex’s dumpster. In the hours after the 911 call, he also canvassed the complex for potential witnesses but did not gain any information.


The next day, one of Castillo’s neighbors, Ange Johnston, informed an officer that while walking her dogs she saw who she believed to be Ali outside the unit and near the dumpster around 6:45 p.m. Nov. 10, 2022.

She told the jury that he was wearing a blue plaid suit and white turtleneck, and when she said hello, he said hello back but he seemed distraught. His voice was shaking, and he didn’t seem happy and outgoing like usual.


Around midnight Nov. 10, 2022, Simi Valley Detective Kellyn King conducted a preliminary interview with Ali. She told him that she was calling because Castillo could not be located, and he asked if Castillo was missing, which King thought was odd because he’d already been contacted by law enforcement several times.


Corey Baker, a Simi Valley detective, testified that Ali told the department that he arrived at his parents’ Victorville home around 11:30 a.m. and hadn’t left since.

Baker, however, told the jury that license plate reader photographs contradicted Ali’s claim. On the night of Nov. 10, 2022 and on Nov. 11, 2022, his red Hyundai was seen multiple times at the intersection of La Mesa and Amethyst Roads in Victorville, which Baker called “suspicious.”

When analyzing data from Castillo’s phone, Baker said the messages she exchanged with Ali regarding the care of their children, including those from Nov. 10, 2022, were generally “amicable.”

In the weeks before the killing, however, Ali texted Castillo that he hated his life, including his job and apartment, Baker told the jury. The detective said Ali blamed Castillo for his unhappiness, especially for making him pay child support.