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Raul Renato Castro to be Tried as Adult for Alex Mercado Murder
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by Amy Judd | November 3, 2009 at 05:13 pm
4349 views | 24 Recommendations | 22 comments
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Raul Renato Castro, only 14-years-old, is to be tried as an adult with special circumstances, for the murder of 4-year-old Alex Mercado. The special circumstances referred to are kidnapping, sex crimes and then the killing of the 4-year-old to prevent him saying anything.
The maximum penalty Castro could receive would be 32 years to life in prison plus 15 years, as the state of California does not allow for the death penalty or life in prison without parole for a 14-year-old, even if they are charged as an adult.
California law does not allow for the death penalty for a fourteen-year-old or a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.
Alex Mercado disappeared last Friday and was found drowned and placed in a neighbor's dryer. He was playing outside his home on Friday when it is thought that Raul Castro brought him to a neighbor's house and killed him. It is not known why Castro committed the murder.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (22)
at 17:58 on November 3rd, 2009
He deserves to be tried as an adult. Thanks for sharing.
at 02:42 on November 4th, 2009
Why, why, why, why, why?
at 02:50 on November 4th, 2009
WHY WHY WHY also. Why have juveniles and a court system if you are constantly playing the system when it suits.
at 05:18 on November 4th, 2009
Its bad enough that we have to protect our kids from adults and teenagers also? This is an unbelieveable - and unfortunate case and yes I do agree, he should be tried as an adult to be treated / have pain inflicted upon him as he did the poor 4 year old. My prayers go out to the 4-year's family.
at 09:22 on November 4th, 2009
It's very sad to hear this kind of stuff. He should be sentenced to life in prison. A 14 year old know what he/she is doing. When I was 14 I was a freshman in High School and yes you know the bad and the good. It's totally unacceptable. All this makes me mad...
at 19:35 on November 4th, 2009
He knew exactly what he was doing. He needs to be sentenced to life for sodomizing and drowning the child when the child began to cry. This teenager has no hope of ever being any sort of benefit to society and should not see any freedom again. What an awful and needless thing to happen. What a disgusting monster that 14 year old is. He had no right to basically torture that little boy and then violently take him away from his family and friends forever. It disgusts me that he will be out and living in regular society by the time he is 50 or so, but I am thankful he at least is being tried as an adult and not a juvenile.
at 18:12 on December 6th, 2009
How do you know that he exactly knew what he was doing. Do you want to say that a 14 year old boy has the same maturity as an adult. If so why a 14 year old not allowed to vote? When it comes to privileges a 14 year old should not have those of an adult. But if any crime is committed then he can be tried as an adult. PURE DOUBLE STANDARD!!!
at 01:54 on November 5th, 2009
A 14 year old is only an adult when criminals with badges and criminals pretending to be prosecutors want you to think that they care about children...otherwise a 14 year old is a "precious innocent child" - for example when corrupt-attention-needy authorities conduct online entrapment operations to arrest only men; which happens daily in the U.S. Or if a one-sided psychologist has coached a 14 year old into accusing an adult of sexual conduct then the 14 year old is a "precious innocent child". A 14 YEAR OLD IS NOT CONSIDERED AN ADULT IN CALIFORNIA! 14 year old Citizens cannot vote/elect lawmakers who author the laws that adults are subject to - that's why there is a Juvenile System! This is another unconstitutional "Tough on Crime" tactic that once was sold as a "deterrent" - just like the foolish Death Penalty it isn't working. Good to see that all of the idiot fish of the internet have already convicted him - and I don't guess anyone bothered to ask whether or not an attorney or legal guardian was present when he was questioned. They can't even get the story straight - the victim fell and hit his head OR he threatened to tell?? I guess they picked the answer that best suited their "professional" needs after they went round and round in questioning for a few hours and completely confused the 14 year old taxpaying, old enough to vote, old enough to drive, old enough to have sex, redefined juvenile. But if you had a dirty little chat with him online he'd be a "precious innocent child". Ignorant.
at 14:40 on November 5th, 2009
Duane can't you understand that his actions negate the fact he is not legally an adult. Im gonna say it how it is; he raped this baby boy in the ass, drowned him and then hide his body. Can u imagine how scared that 4 year old must have been as he was raped and then held under water... This wasn't an accident but a meditated act comparable to the worst of crimes. The kid is 14, a freshman in high school, he knew exactly what he was doing. This kid is a danger and if you can't understand that then too bad for you.
at 18:17 on December 6th, 2009
If a 14 year old wins an Olympic gold medal would you allow him to vote? The answer is no. Achievements cannot negate the fact he is legally not an adult. But according to you crimes commited can negate the fact he is legally not an adult. Isn't it double standard.
at 19:14 on November 7th, 2009
you are in idiot. it clearly statesthat the child fell and hit his head then he said he was going to tell on the 14 year old. the other reasion you asre an idiot, a 14 year is old enough to have sex, that is why 12-17 year od girls get pregers. this boy my be 14 and still considered a child, but this kid raped and murdered a 4 year child, he committed adult crimes. he clearly does not need to be treated as a child, he made an adult dession and he deserves an adult charge. you are an idiot. why wou would try to defend this kid against the crimes for which he is being charged, by adding the sex trade of children. you are worthless as a member of soiety.
at 19:37 on November 14th, 2009
First of all half of what you said is irrelavent to the situation and further more how bout some one rapes your lil kid or bro or sis bet you'll think twice huh? Go back to school you retard because you obviously know nothing of the constitution, it doesn't have or say any thing about how old you can be tried as an adult and who cares who was presnet durring questioning if he did then he did so a murder is a murder need it be spelled out. This is why the death penalty isn't working because of ignorant and/or foolish people like you who can't make a rational decsion but you are right about one thing he is not an adult but his crimes are grave ones and his punishment should have been more severe because i know i don't want someone like him on the streets with my kids.
at 08:03 on November 5th, 2009
Duane - you are just plain nuts! When this 14 year old grows up he will rape more people and kill them to hide it. Look at the case in Ohio. Too bad he will not be put to death once convicted. Duane - You may feel fine with child molestors and rapists going to jail for a short amount of time to be let out around your children, but I sure don't.
at 16:39 on December 6th, 2009
One should be sentenced based on the crime he has committed, not on the basis of what you think should be to ensure your safety.
at 08:42 on November 5th, 2009
Why should we have to pay to keep this degenerate person imprisoned for the rest of his life? The only flaw in the system is that he cannot immediately be killed. He raped a 4yr old, enough said. I hope someone has the good grace to kill him in prison.
at 08:57 on November 5th, 2009
once an offender, always an offender. Put him away FOREVER
at 16:36 on December 6th, 2009
Please stop hate mongering. People like you who always demand to get 'tough on crime', has led to a situation where thousands of innocent people have been imprisoned. About 2 million people are incarcerated at any given point of time. Putting people in prison does not stop crime from happening. You need to have the patience to figure out what drives a person to commit a crime. Most of the murders are committed with the help of gun. But the gun lobby would advocate for rights to posses guns even though they would demand to get tough on crimes. Unless and until there is control over gun the murder rates would not fall.
at 09:18 on November 6th, 2009
@Duane........You are clearly an idiot! At 14 years old this human being knew that what he was doing was wrong, which led him to kill a CHILD, because he was afraid of being punished if he told, and then hid the body because he KNEW it was wrong to drown someone!!!
at 16:40 on December 6th, 2009
If you believe a 14 year old has enough maturity to understand what is right and what is wrong then why don't the country allows a 14 year old to vote. Pure double standards!!!
at 22:28 on December 16th, 2009
truly i am confused with this case, im am doing a report about it for my english class but im not sure in what side to be in. fist Castro sure knew what he was doing because he even tyied to hide the body but we should stop and think on the part were it says that he had been molested 2. if some one is doing this to him then he might not be aware of the severe sircumstanses of the crime. BUT he knew it was wrong!! and it is sad how he torture little alex. im in the middle of this situation...shame on castro and my prayers for lil alex..
at 19:18 on December 19th, 2009
I am surprised to that hardly anybody in this site has been questioning the parental part in this heinous incident. Clearly the 14 year old boy was also a victim himself. I feel he must have been victimized by someone, which led to the atrocious act. It is so easy for all of you to judge and look away from the repetitive cycle of rapist. A rapist isn't born a rapist people they are made one from sexual abuse. This 14 year old is a boy that was sexually abused! Yes what he did was horrible, vile and disgusting. He did rape an innocent 4 year old and he needs to pay for his actions. But to say that he deserves to die or be killed is the most ignorant comment. I understand that comment coming out of the victim's family but all of you are not the little boy's family. You are just angry bitter people who will judge without thinking. I hope nobody in your family ever has to be in either side. Because I know you will be too fast to take back those comments if the 14 year old child were yours. Another thing- if you can't comment without swearing please do yourself a favor and go back to school.
at 18:34 on January 30th, 2010
Hey Surprised, I actually did think about the possibility of the 14 yr old being molested. I think it may be true. HOWEVER, that doesn't give him a damn right to molest a 4 yr old child! The kid deserves to be tried as an adult. If this 4 yr old child were your little brother, cousin, neighbor or whatever, you'd probably think differently.