Man sentenced to 26 years for samurai sword beheading of young San Carlos mother Karina Castro
A man who used a samurai sword to almost decapitate the mother of their child outside her San Carlos home in front of horrified onlookers was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison Tuesday.
Jose Rafael Solano Landaeta was found guilty of first-degree murder in November 2023 in the killing of Karina Castro in what prosecutors called an act of "vengeance," while the defense argued it was self-defense by a man with mental health issues.
At one point early in the trial last May, Landaeta entered a not guilty by reason of insanity plea.
The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office confirmed that the sentence was 25 years on the murder plus one year for the weapon used. Landaeta must serve 26 years before becoming eligible for parole consideration.
He must also pay $20,000 in restitution and court fines, plus more restitution to the woman's family in amounts to be determined, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe.
"Justice was done today and while we can never bring back the victim, we are able to give the victim's family a sense of closure in knowing the defendant will be locked up for most, if not all, of the rest of his life," said Wagstaffe in an email Tuesday.
Solano and Castro were involved in a volatile relationship and the murder was preceded by several exchanges between Landaeta and Castro on social media in which Castro threatened to reveal information such as alleged sexual encounters that Solano had with an underage girl.
Solano had also sent threatening messages, including a ninja emoji followed by blood emojis and others threatening to take away the 18-month-old he fathered with Castro along with her older child from a previous relationship.
The trial featured testimony from witnesses to the brutal attack outside Castro's apartment following an intense argument. The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office said Solano slashed Castro numerous times, causing her head to be almost severed, in front of multiple witnesses walking on the street. Solano then walked away after the attack and put the sword in his car parked two blocks away; deputies arrested him when he returned to the scene where Castro's body was still lying in the street.
