Castro murder trial begins
Jose Solis, 21, Moses Lake, was shot and killed in a Spokane hotel. He leaves behind two children.
SPOKANE - The murder trial involving the 2011 death of a Moses Lake man began this week in Spokane County Superior Court.
Spokane rapper John A. Castro, then 27, whose stage name is Lil Danger, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Jose A. "Junior" Solis Jr., a 21-year-old father of two and a 2009 Moses Lake High School graduate.
Solis was a member of a music group called Base Blocc 223, which he dreamed would be a successful music group someday.
The trial started on Wednesday and extra security was required to keep order in the courtroom, according to a KREM.com report.
Two uniformed police officers and an unknown amount of plain clothes officers were stationed in the courtroom to prevent any violence.
According to the report, one man watching the proceedings was attempting to intimidate witnesses. He was called to testify, which means he cannot be inside the courtroom unless he is ordered to appear on the stand.
If convicted Castro is facing life in prison without parole under the Washington three-strikes law because he was two previous violent convictions. Castro has nine total felony convictions on his record.
The murder charge stems from an altercation that happened in November 2011 following a concert in Spokane.
According to a previous Columbia Basin Herald article, Spokane police received a report of a fight and possible shots fired at the Quality Inn where Solis and his group of friends were staying.
When officers arrived at the scene they found Solis in the lobby area of the hotel with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a nearby hospital and died an hour late from a single gunshot wound to the torso.
According to local police, Castro was caught by police a few blocks away from the hotel allegedly fleeing the scene. After being caught, he was booked into Spokane County Jail on suspicion of murder.
Witnesses stated that Castro reportedly started a fight at the concert Solis and his party were attending and then returned to the Quality Inn where his group was also staying.
According to witnesses at the scene, a fight allegedly started on the fourth floor of the hotel between Castro's group and members of the Moses Lake party.
After the alleged fight was over, the victims reportedly locked themselves in a room while attackers were reportedly attempting to break down the door.
Solis reportedly came downstairs to help his friend when he was reportedly beaten and shot.
Solis was carried downstairs by friends where they were met by police.
Witnesses reported seeing a vehicle speed out of the Quality Inn parking lot, hitting a car in the process. Pictures were taken of the vehicle and were given to police.
Also this week, Spokane police arrested three men on suspicion of witness tampering for allegedly communicating with witnesses in the trial, according to Krem.com. The men arrested were Tvar L. Jackson, 33, Barry J. Gardner, 34, and Israel L. Jones, 34. Their cities of residence were not provided.
Castro's murder trial could last up to two weeks and the prosecution is seeking material witness arrests for three people connected with the murder in hopes that they will testify, according to Krem.com.