California Man Who Hid in Estranged Wife’s Apartment Before Stabbing and Burying Her in the Desert Convicted of Murder
SIMI VALLEY, CA — A California man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a jury found he intentionally hid inside his estranged wife’s apartment, ambushed her when she stepped out of her bedroom, murdered her, and later buried her in the Antelope Valley desert.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced that 28-year-old Zarbab Ali was found guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of 25-year-old Rachel Castillo, a mother of two whose disappearance shocked the Simi Valley community in November 2022.
Ali is scheduled to receive the mandatory life sentence on January 12.
A Sister’s Discovery: “As Soon as I Saw the Blood…”
On Nov. 10, 2022, Castillo’s sister returned to their shared apartment and made a horrifying discovery — large amounts of blood throughout the home, Castillo’s phone, keys, and car all left untouched.
“As soon as I saw the blood, that’s when I realized something wasn’t right,” she told local reporters.
Police immediately combed the apartment and determined that a violent struggle had occurred.
Three days later, their worst fears were confirmed: Castillo’s body was found buried in a remote desert area of the Antelope Valley.
Ali was arrested the following day.
Ali Admitted He Hid in the Dark and Waited for Her
Prosecutors say Ali confessed to detectives — and the details were chilling.
Ali told authorities he had grown consumed by jealousy after their separation nine months earlier. On the day of the murder, he dropped their two children off at his parents’ home, returned to Castillo’s apartment, and discovered the door was unlocked.
He went inside, turned off the lights, and hid.
When Castillo came out of her bedroom, Ali grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed her three times, eventually wrapping her in a blanket and dragging her body to his car.
He tried to clean the crime scene before driving to the desert to bury her.
Ali Returned to the Body the Next Day — and Confessed to an Unthinkable Act
During his confession, Ali admitted returning to the burial site the next day and sexually assaulting Castillo’s body, telling detectives:
“Just to confirm that I am a monster, I raped her.”
He testified in court that he could not accept the divorce or Castillo’s new relationship, claiming his world had “crashed.”
On the stand, he acknowledged the brutality:
“She put up a fight. I was a brute. I pushed her down, and it was gory beyond belief.”
Family: “We Are Very Happy Justice Will Be Served”
Castillo’s loved ones sat through the disturbing trial, listening to Ali’s own words confirm what happened that day.
Her father, Chris Castillo, told the Ventura County Star:
“We are very happy that justice will be served in this case in this life and the next.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell praised law enforcement’s work and said the outcome ensures Ali will never harm anyone again.
Stories like Rachel’s leave lasting wounds for families and communities. What steps do you believe help prevent intimate-partner violence before it reaches this level of danger? Join the conversation at ChicagoMusicGuide.com.