Friday, December 23, 2011

San Jose, CA: Gun find prompts murder charge in San Jose

(12-22) 19:39 PST SAN JOSE -- With the alleged weapon finally in hand, Santa Clara County prosecutors charged a 23-year-old man with the murder of his estranged wife, whose body was found in October in East San Jose.

Marcus Casillas of San Jose, who was already in custody for allegedly violating his probation, was charged Wednesday in the slaying of 29-year-old Valerie Calderon Casillas.

Valerie Casillas - who had three children ages 1, 5, and 6 - was last seen Oct. 2 after family members reported that she reluctantly stepped outside of the home where she was staying to speak with her husband. They had split a month earlier after a year of marriage.

Police arrested Marcus Casillas a day later for a parole violation. On Oct. 5, a road worker found his wife's body in a remote area of East San Jose, near Sierra and Skyview drives.

"We believe that (Marcus Casillas) drove her up to the east foothills and shot and killed her," said San Jose police Sgt. Jason Dwyer. "We believe this is a domestic violence incident, and we believe there was a history of domestic violence."

Police, though, had no weapon. Then, on Dec. 15, officers were conducting routine gang suppression patrols when they saw a man drinking beer as he walked down the street. As police approached, the man took off running, Dwyer said.

Officers followed the man into a house on Inman Way, where he reportedly pulled a gun and tossed it away. Dwyer said another man in the house picked up the gun and aimed it at Officer Lee Tassio, who fired his pistol once. That suspect, Valente Galindo, later died.

Ballistics tests showed that the semiautomatic pistol Galindo aimed at Tassio was the same gun used to kill Valerie Casillas, said Dwyer. He said detectives believe Galindo and Marcus Casillas are connected, but would not provide details.

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