Man accused of stabbing his wife to death during Bible study in Minnesota
A man has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing his wife to death during a Bible study at a home earlier this week, CBS Minnesota reports.
The Ramsey County Attorney's Office charged 40-year-old Robert Castillo, of St. Paul, with second-degree murder in connection to Tuesday's stabbing.
CBS Minnesota, citing the criminal complaint, reports St. Paul police officers responded to the residence at around 9 p.m. on the report of a stabbing. When they arrived, they found 41-year-old Corinna Woodhull with severe injuries to her torso, chest and arms. Police said Castillo was being held down on the floor by several people.
Woodhull was treated at the scene and taken to Regions Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Castillo's sister told police that she hosts Bible study at the home on Tuesday nights with family members. She said Woodhull and Castillo arrived and sat together on a couch, the complaint said.
At one point Castillo whispered something into Woodhull's ear and then pulled out a knife and stabbed her repeatedly, the complaint said.
Castillo was then tackled by family members and disarmed. Another witness at the Bible study says they believed Castillo would have stabbed others had he not been disarmed, the complaint said.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office has since ruled Woodhull's death as a homicide due to multiple sharp force injuries.
The complaint says that Castillo had an active warrant out for his arrest at the time of the stabbing and recently failed to appear at a pretrial hearing in connection to fourth-degree assault charges in Washington County. He allegedly assaulted a prison guard while being an inmate in Stillwater. He also has eight prior felony convictions that include first-degree assault, second-degree assault, possession of a firearm by an ineligible person and second-degree burglary.
Castillo's second-degree assault conviction was for beating the purported mother of his child with a hammer, causing substantial bodily harm.
According to the complaint, Castillo briefly spoke with investigators, telling them he and Woodhull had been legally married for a couple years and lived together until a month ago. Castillo wouldn't say why they no longer lived together and requested his attorney, so the interview ended.
Castillo's brother, who was also at the Bible study, told police Woodhull and his brother had been having marital problems.
Woodhull is survived by her five children.
She also leaves behind a community of recovering drug addicts who describe her as an inspiration, CBS Minnesota reported. Phil Tyler, the founder of Against All Odds Ministries, told the station that Woodhull had shared these words to the group: "God has restored my life from the ground up into freedom, redemption, and forgiveness. Made depression into hope, made despair into redemption, turned my pain into purpose."
Against All Odds Ministries is working to raise money to support Woodhull's family, including her kids.
"It takes courage to get out of our comfort zone sometimes, and I always tell people your story can change someone's life," Tyler said. "Corinna treated people with love and encouragement, and was a beacon of hope for people."
If convicted of the murder charge, Castillo faces up to 40 years in prison.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
