DA: South End Man Encouraged 2009 Shooting

A South End man is among three young people being charged in relation to the murder of a young woman celebrating her 18th birthday with friends in 2009.

Miguel Vasquez, now 20, faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and unlawful possession of a loaded firearm.

In addition, Ruben Sanchez, 20, of Hyde Park has been charged with second-degree murder and Andres Brea, 21, of Roxbury has been charged with being an accessory after the fact to an assault with a dangerous weapon.

According to prosecutors, Vasquez started an argument with the hostess of a birthday party for Paula Castillo on night of September 19, 2009. The argument wasn’t physical and there were no weapons involved, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Hickman told a Superior Court jury on Monday.

Other people at the party intervened and attempted to calm the situation, she said, but as a result of that argument, the hostess “made the decision to tell the three defendants to get out of the apartment.”

Vasquez and his two friends left the Hillis Road home, “exchanging words” as they went, Hickman said. They walked out to a car where Sanchez “pulled out a revolver - and with Mr. Vasquez standing next to him, giving him encouragement – began shooting in the direction of 28 Hillis Road,” Hickman said.

One of the bullets struck Castillo in the neck as she put her head out the window of the home, Hickman said. The 18-year-old ran “down the stairs with blood coming out of her neck, blood pouring out of her mouth, unable to speak,” she said.

Friends administered CPR to the victim, “trying to keep her alive,” Hickman said.

Castillo was reportedly three months pregnant at the time of her death.

An off-duty police officer who lived in the area observed the shooting and reported it to police, who spoke to witnesses at the party and were able to locate the three men in their car just minutes after the shooting. The defendants allegedly gave different alibis and had a revolver in the trunk of the car, Hickman said.

“The revolver had five rounds, four of which had been discharged, and there was still one live bullet in the chamber,” she said.

A facebook page titled "RIP Paula Naeomi Castillo" is still active nearly two years after Castillo's death, with over 400 followers. A video tribute to Castillo was posted on YouTube with an intro "Can we all just stop the drama? We're getting tired of saying goodbye to all our friends."