{"id":35942,"date":"2024-06-28T14:01:21","date_gmt":"2024-06-28T14:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/06\/28\/marine-recruiter-charged-with-home-invasion-stabbing-11-year-old-girl\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:52:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:52:49","slug":"marine-recruiter-charged-with-home-invasion-stabbing-11-year-old-girl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2024\/06\/28\/marine-recruiter-charged-with-home-invasion-stabbing-11-year-old-girl\/","title":{"rendered":"Marine recruiter charged with home invasion, stabbing 11-year-old girl"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A 24-year-old Marine recruiter<\/a> faces a trial on allegations that he broke into a Michigan home, stabbed an 11-year-old girl and said he planned to \u201ckill everyone inside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cpl. Ricardo Perez Castillo waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday, which moves his case involving felony charges<\/a> of assault with intent to murder, first-degree home invasion, assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct and carrying a weapon with unlawful intent to the Kent County, Michigan, 17th Circuit Court for a potential trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prosecutors allege based on witness testimony and a police investigation that Castillo entered a home in the River Bluffs community of Rockford, Michigan, at around 3 a.m. on June 15, stripped down to his underwear and a shirt, took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed an 11-year-old girl who was a friend of a girl who lived at the residence, FOX 17 West Michigan reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Castillo stopped stabbing the girl when she and her friend began screaming. He was held at gunpoint by the homeowner until police arrived. She suffered wounds to her left arm and shoulder and was treated at a local hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cpl. Ricardo Perez Castillo, 24, faces four felony charges on allegations he broke into a Michigan home and stabbed an 11-year-old girl. (Kent County Sheriff’s Office)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kent County Sheriff\u2019s deputies found Castillo in the girl\u2019s bedroom with a bloody knife next to him, according to court records reported by both ABC local affiliate Channel 13 <\/a>and local NBC affiliate Channel 8 Wood TV<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVideo shows Ricardo (Castillo) entering the (River Bluffs) residence and taking his shoes, socks, and pants off,\u201d according to the arrest report, local ABC affiliate Channel 13 reported. \u201cRicardo (Castillo), with only his underwear and T-shirt, grabbed a knife from the kitchen drawer and walked upstairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Castillo\u2019s intent was to break into the house and kill the entire family, according to the report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRicardo (Castillo) stated that he tried the first couple bedroom doors, but they were locked,\u201d the report stated. \u201cRicardo then opened the master bedroom door and located (the homeowner) and his wife asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He decided to look for an \u201ceasier target,\u201d according to the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRicardo (Castillo) then went into the room where (the girl) was sleeping,\u201d wrote the deputy. \u201cRicardo stated to detectives that he planned to kill (her) and have sex with her \u2026 body.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that house wasn\u2019t his first stop that night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About an hour before Castillo allegedly entered the River Bluffs, Michigan, home, a nearby homeowner was cleaning up his house after a dinner party and went to the rear of the home to bring some items inside from his deck when he saw a stranger by his kitchen sink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He asked the man, who police later identified as Castillo, who he was, why he was in his house and to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man said Castillo walked toward the door but stopped and said, \u201c\u2018I don\u2019t even (expletive) know what the (expletive) is going on, but just in case, just be careful. Make sure you\u2019re armed.\u2019 At that point I slammed the door shut and called police,\u201d Channel 8 Wood TV reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Castillo was arrested on felony charges and is being held in the Kent County, Michigan, jail on a $2 million bond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis case, it\u2019s as scary as it gets, it\u2019s as horrific as it gets and it puts all of us in a fear zone like no other,\u201d said District Judge Sara J. Smolenski during his hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\t