‘I condemn you to hell’: Parents of Kendrick Castillo face his killer at sentencing hearing

By Janet Oravetz, 9News 07/24/2020 | updated 5 years ago

The parents of Kendrick Castillo had harsh words for their son’s killer as they faced him through a television screen during a sentencing hearing Friday afternoon.

“I condemn you to hell. I will never forgive you, I hate you,” said John Castillo, who noted that as a man of faith it was difficult for him to say those things.

He and his wife, Maria, were the last two of nearly two dozen people who spoke at the sentencing hearing for Alec McKinney, now 17, who pleaded guilty to charges related to the May 7, 2019, shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch.

Charges are still pending against Devon Erickson in connection with the shooting that resulted in the death of Kendrick Castillo, who was lauded as a hero for joining other classmates to rush one of the two gunmen.

Eight others also were shot. Two of them were injured by a private security guard who helped detain one of the teen suspects.

Due to his age at the time of the shooting, the sentence for McKinney is mostly a foregone conclusion, but the hearing, which was held partially remote due to the coronavirus pandemic, is a chance for victims and their family members to testify in court about how they’ve been impacted.

“My son’s life mattered and as long I am alive I will do anything and anything in power to make sure this evil killer will pay for what he did,” said Maria Castillo. “I will never forgive. My only wish is to see him dead, burning in hell.”

She sobbed as she recounted the day of Kendrick’s death and said even more than a year later she still waits for him to come home before remembering that will not happen. She noted he was her only child and she and her husband will never have grandchildren.

Her husband said during his testimony that his son’s killer had “awakened an activist” who would fight to keep schools safe.

“Look at my face you coward,” John Castillo said. “I hope you know when you did this to a Castillo you’re going to pay. You disgust me. Know that you are nothing and I’ll fight you to the end.”

Several other witnesses who testified earlier Friday morning said they believed the shooter was their friend and couldn’t understand how or why they were targeted.

“Alec was one of my favorite students,” said Gabriella Leddy who was in the classroom next door to where the shooting occurred. “I found him charming, witty and was always friendly toward me.”

She said she went above and beyond to support McKinney and said that included inviting him to join the LGBTQ support group which she sponsored. She said when she noticed he was struggling and seemed lonely she reached out.

“I cannot express the amount of betrayal knowing it was Alec who orchestrated this evil attack,” she said. “He must have known he was putting me and his classmates I thought were his friend in danger.”

One of those classmates also testified Friday and noted at that May 7, the day of the shooting, is also her mother’s birthday.

“I never judged him for one second,” Nui Giasoli said. “It didn’t matter to me if he was a boy or a girl. Yet I was his first target. He had a gun aimed at the back of my head. He was running to shoot. He was running to end my chance at my life. He was running to take me away from my mom.”

The mother of another student testified about her daughter’s friendship with McKinney and said her daughter initially told her that she believed McKinney had tried to save her when she saw him in the classroom. They later learned from other witnesses that was not the case.

“He stood behind her where she couldn’t see and had a gun pointed at her,” the mom testified. “She was a target despite the caring and respect she had shown him.”

One student testified that he had to hop over a puddle of blood as he left the school and has been diagnosed with PTSD that is so bad school is almost unbearable. He said even the sound of someone stomping sends him into a panic.

“The event he [Alec] put into motion still haunts me to this day. How can someone you never knew hurt you so much?” Aidan Morrison said. “I hope you suffer in prison because you deserve it.”

One mom said her son who was in 7th grade had been counseling prior to the shooting because he had a fear of a school shooting. She said they were working through that fear when on May 7 he had to huddle on the floor next to a fellow student who was wounded. She said both of them tried to stay as still possible, not knowing where the shooter was, when a teacher asked if they could find something to help stop the girl’s bleeding.

She testified that her son and the teacher improvised with a sweatshirt and tied that around the girl’s leg and elevated it until they could get additional help.

“Alec McKinney stole my children’s innocence,” she said. “He made school a dangerous threatening place for them.”

“I know it’s quite different but I’ve lost mine [son] too. We are also going to be left with these scars forever, she said as she turned to face the others in the courtroom. “But your son [Kendrik] was a hero and always, always will be.”

Both suspects were charged with 46 counts, including two counts of first-degree murder, one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and 31 counts of attempted first-degree murder. Those charges are still pending against the older suspect, whose next court hearing is in September.

McKinney’s mom also testified at the hearing where she apologized to all the families, even though she admitted it wouldn’t mean much.

McKinney, who was 16 when the shooting occurred, was charged as an adult and pleaded guilty in February to 17 charges:

First-degree murder for the death of Kendrick Castillo
Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after deliberation
Six counts of attempted murder after deliberation
Attempted murder extreme indifference
Second-degree assault
Conspiracy to commit arson
Conspiracy to commit burglary
Conspiracy to commit criminal mischief
Possession of a weapon on school grounds
Possession of a handgun by a juvenile
Two crime-of-violence sentence enhancers

McKinney faces an automatic sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years related to the first-degree murder charge. Under Colorado law, defendants who commit crimes as juveniles cannot be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

In addition to that sentence, he faces 408 years for the other charges, but the exact amount of time is up to the discretion of the judge at the sentencing.

This undated photo provided by Rachel Short shows Kendrick Castillo, who was killed during a shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Rachel Short via AP)

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