NORWALK >> A Norwalk man who fatally shot his friend and tried to stage the death as a suicide received a sentence of more than four decades in prison after pleading “no contest” to first-degree murder, authorities said.
Diego Arnold Castro, 33, of Norwalk, entered the plea in Norwalk Superior Court, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani said in a written statement. He was immediately sentenced to 45 years to life in state prison.
An addition to a charge of murder, Ardalani said Castro also admitted the special allegation that he personally used a firearm in the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Jose Angel Rios, also a local resident, at Castro’s home in the 14500 block of Halcourt Ave.
Castro and his victim had gone to school together and been friends for “many years” prior to the shooting , Ardalani said.
“On Jan. 15, 2015, Castro picked up Alvarez and took him to the defendant’s Norwalk home,” Ardalani said.
“While Alvarez was sitting on Castro’s couch, the defendant came up behind the victim and shot him in the left side of his head,” she said.
“The defendant then shot himself in the leg to make it seem as though the victim had shot Castro and then committed suicide,” Ardalani said. The defendant called 911 and told authorities Alvarez had shot him and then killed himself, the prosecutor said.
Authorities initially believed Castro’s account, but suspicions grew as the investigation unfolded and evidence continued coming to light, officials said.
The victim was shot in the left side of his head, Syn said. The victim was right-handed.
After receiving treatment for his gunshot wound, detectives arrested Castro for Rios’ murder on Jan. 23, 2015, records show.
Castro never revealed a motive, however Syn said he suspected he was jealous of his friend’s wife.
The two had been involved in an affair previously, but the issue was believed to be resolved at the time of the killing, Syn said. The prosecutor said Castro and Rios were extremely close and described them as “best friends.”
On the day of the shooting, Castro sent Rios’ wife a text message, pretending to be Castro, saying that was going to kill himself and to “take good care of Diego,” according to Syn.
The negotiated plea came during what was scheduled to a hearing to set a preliminary hearing date, according to Deputy District Attorney Don Syn, who prosecuted the case.
Castro was initially accused of the special circumstance of lying in wait, which could have potentially made him eligible for the death penalty if convicted at trial. Authorities had not yet determined whether to pursue capital punishment in Castro’s case.