FOX 4 viewer tip leads to suspect's arrest in Fort Worth Navy veteran’s murder
FORT WORTH, Texas - A tip from a FOX 4 viewer helped police to arrest a man wanted for murdering a Navy veteran in Fort Worth.
After FOX 4’s December story about the murder of Raymond Castillo, someone saw surveillance video of the suspect and recognized him.
Police say the murder suspect is 18-year-old Elijah Bankhead. A joint task force arrested him this week in Dallas. Investigators had been looking for him since last November.
PREVIOUS STORY: Police need help finding Fort Worth homicide suspect
Bankhead is charged with the murder of Raymond Castillo, a 36-year-old Navy veteran and business owner.
Joan Castillo is Raymond’s mother. She got the news on Wednesday of Bankhead’s arrest nearly seven weeks after her son was found dead in his Fort Worth apartment.
“I am happy that the young person was found,” she said. “But at the same time, it was a very unfortunate circumstance.”
Two days before Raymond’s murder, surveillance video captured him walking with another man at a Circle K. FOX 4 aired the video in December, and a viewer called police identifying Bankhead.
“Police found that they were acquaintances with each other,” said Fort Worth Police Officer Brad Perez. “And this was actually due to a viewer’s tip.”
Police say Raymond had picked up Bankhead in Dallas and brought him to Fort Worth. Police didn't explain why, but Raymond’s mother has a theory.
“It doesn’t surprise me because he was always mentoring someone or helping them,” Joan said. “So I’m assuming that’s the kind of relationship he had with Elijah.”
After the two stopped at the Circle K, investigators say they went to Raymond’s apartment where they had an argument. Then police say Bankhead shot Raymond, took his car, drove to Southeast Dallas and crashed it.
Fort Worth police say it took several weeks between the viewer's tip and the arrest because they needed to gather enough evidence. After Bankhead was picked up, police say he admitted his involvement in Raymond’s death.
Raymond was a volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club and served in the Navy for 10 years. After leaving the Navy in 2017 where he was stationed at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, he started his own security company.
“I want people to remember that Raymond was a kind-hearted, well-spirited person,” Joan said. “And he was willing to go out of his way to help anyone.”
Joan had moved down to Texas to be closer to her son, but she moved away after his death. She says she plans to return when Bankhead’s trial begins.