SAN ANTONIO – A man was arrested in connection with the “gruesome” slaying and dismemberment of a woman, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said on Wednesday.
Rafael Castillo, 26, was arrested in Brownsville, Texas, and is a suspect in the murder of Nicole Perry.
Sheriff Javier Salazar provides an update on the Nicole Perry, 31 murder investigation.
Posted by Bexar County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, December 16, 2020
On Nov. 19, work crews found Perry’s body wrapped in a tarp while cleaning an area well known for dumping, Salzar said.
Salazar said investigators followed leads and ended up at a home on West Harlan Avenue, where a “gruesome picture” began to unravel.
According to Salazar, Castillo and Perry had a disagreement that ended with Castillo attacking and killing her with an ax or hatchet at the home on West Harlan.
“The suspect said he wanted to ‘make an example of her.’ That’s a direct quote,” Salazar said.
Salazar said Perry, 31, was partially dismembered while she was still alive. Investigators are still searching for body parts. The Sheriff’s Office is not ruling out that other people may have been involved in the murder or disposal of Perry’s body.
Castillo was arrested with assistance from the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force. He is facing a murder charge, according to Salazar.
This is a developing story, and we’ll update this article as more details become available.
Related: Human remains found on side of road in Southeast Bexar County, sheriff says