‘The Head Was Underneath The Car’: California Man Convicted of Beheading Estranged Girlfriend With Samurai Sword
Landaeta was convicted of using a samurai sword to murder his estranged girlfriend.
Nov. 24 2023, Published 2:30 p.m. ET
A California man has been convicted of beheading his estranged girlfriend after the two got into a heated war of words on social media, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Shortly before noon on Sept. 8, 2022, Jose Raphael Solano Landaeta, 34, attacked 27-year-old Karina Castro outside her San Carlos home in front of eyewitnesses, as Front Page Detectives reported.
Karina Castro and Jose Raphael Solano Landaeta reportedly got into a heated war of words on social media.
Castro and Landaeta shared a 1-year-old daughter together.
The victim’s father, Martin Castro, said he did not like Landaeta “from day one.”
“He’s been nothing but trouble since the day he came into her life,” he told KION. “When she got pregnant by him, my heart dropped.”
Castro's family reportedly worried about the relationship from Day 1.
In an interview with KGO, the victim’s grandmother, Danielle Gannon, alleged Landaeta is a “diagnosed schizophrenic on meds.”
“And he would use that as an excuse for his behavior,” she claimed, adding, “He drank excessively and you're not supposed to do that on those kind of medications.”
Castro had a restraining order against Landaeta at the time of the murder.
Family confirmed to the station that the victim had a restraining order against the suspect since April 2022 but said the pair continued to interact with each other.
KGO obtained Snapchat messages between the ex-couple that showed leading up to the deadly confrontation the two were in a fight and Karina Castro threatened to expose Landaeta’s sexual relationship with an underage girl.
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On Nov. 20, a jury found Landaeta guilty and he was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Castro, the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office announced.
Landaeta faces up to life in prison.
Martin Castro told Redwood City Pulse the verdict is "bittersweet."
He said, "I am hoping to get some closure and normalcy back to life, or at least try. It feels like weight was lifted from my shoulders."
