FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – After 20 years, investigators have made an arrest in the 2004 cold case of Barbara Lee, thanks to the use of DNA evidence. The arrest took place on Friday, when 61-year-old Robert Castillo was taken into custody in connection to the death of 43-year-old Barbara Lee (also known as Barbara Parker).
Barbara Lee’s body was discovered in a Fresno field near California and Polk Avenues on October 31, 2004. Despite interviewing several people who knew Lee, authorities could not identify a suspect at the time. However, a breakthrough in the case came with the advancement of DNA technology, leading investigators to match DNA samples that pointed to Castillo.
Detectives with the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (ViCAT) arrested Castillo on April 10. Further analysis of Castillo’s DNA led to connections with other open cases, including a 2003 rape and a 2004 rape. Castillo, a Fresno resident, has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1981, including prior prison sentences for property crimes in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.
