Lubbock Police said on Monday the dropping of assault and kidnapping charges against Christian Castro, 19, had nothing to do with the Mark Ysasaga case or any other case.
Castro was named as a “person of interest” in the Ysasaga case on Friday. It was one day after Castro and Devon Gonzales, 20, committed an act of aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping according to police.
Police said Friday in a written statement that Castro and Gonzales forced their way into a home and took several items. Gonzales was arrested that same morning.
However, police never said how Castro was located and arrested. His name was never listed in jail booking records between Friday and Monday.
In response to questions, a police spokesman said by text message, “He was arrested by LPD inside the city limits.”
EverythingLubbock.com has asked if Castro was taken to UMC instead of the Lubbock County Detention Center. This story will be updated when that answer becomes available.
By Monday, police said the charges against both Castro and Gonzales were dropped. Gonzales remained in jail with a list of other charges still pending.
“Further investigation into the robbery and attempted kidnapping revealed this was more accurately described as a dispute between subjects who all knew each other,” said Captain Roy Bassett.
“After obtaining additional information from the victim in that case and conferring with the District Attorney’s office, all charges related to that case have been dismissed,” Bassett added.
Bassett said on Monday that Castro remains a “person of interest” in the Ysasaga case.
Police found human remains near 120th Street and Highway 87 Saturday after receiving a Crime Line tip Friday night. The family of Mark Ysasaga was notified prior to the media being notified Saturday afternoon. Police have so far not officially confirmed the remains are those of Ysasga.
But that still leaves unanswered questions. Where and when was Castro arrested? Why was he never booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center?
Crime Line tips are anonymous and Bassett said police don’t even know if a Crime Line reward was given out for the Friday night tip.
By all appearances the tip came just hours after EverythingLubbock.com broke the story that Castro was named as a person of interest.
Arrests are public record in Texas. EverythingLubbock.com has made an open records request to get more information about Castro.
