Man turns himself in for fatal stabbing, says he was defending pregnant woman

He’s being held on a $250,000 bond and has been charged with murder.

Dallas County

Jesus Angel Herrera

Victor Castillo was stabbed to death Saturday evening in a home on Western Park Drive near Dallas National Golf Club and Mountain View College in Oak Cliff. A day later, the man police say is responsible for the putting the knife in Castillo’s chest — Jesus Angel Herrera, who turned 18 in December — turned himself in to authorities, claiming he was just protecting the woman due to give birth to their baby.

According to a heavily redacted arrest warrant affidavit, several people witnessed the stabbing, and all were taken to Dallas police headquarters for questioning. One woman told police that on Saturday, someone had broken into her car. Following that, for reasons not explained in the affidavit, she and Castillo drove to the house on Western Park Drive, where they got into a “verbal dispute” with someone — police have removed the names — over the damage done to the vehicle. That dispute, says the affidavit, “escalated to a physical assault.”

But according to police, she never saw incident that resulted in Castillo’s death: The affidavit says the woman “was engaged in a fight … and was unaware that [Castillo] had been stabbed.” She also told police that, yes, Herrera was at the house the time of the altercation, but she “did not observe him stab anyone,” says the affidavit.

But on Saturday night, says the arrest warrant, a Dallas homicide detective spoke with Herrera’s parents, who said they would bring him in. And they did: Police say they showed up Jack Evans Police Headquarters on S. Lamar Street Sunday night a little after 8 p.m. He was booked into Dallas County jail three hours later.

According to the arrest warrant, though, Herrera waived his Miranda rights when questioned by police.

“The suspect admitted to stabbing the complainant with a pocket knife,” says the warrant, “but stated that he acted in the defense of a third person who was pregnant with his child.”

He’s being held on a $250,000 bond and has been charged with murder.