Get push notifications with news, features and more. Witnesses testified about the deaths of his followers and insurance payments to Perez and others in the group. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The case of Kansas cult killer Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, is being explored on Sunday. Along with his nifty supernatural attributes, we can now add "convicted murderer/child rapist/insurance fraudster Daniel Perez." : Mona Griffith, her boyfriend and 12-year-old daughter. "He will stop at nothing, including murder and rape, and didn’t stop at anything to get what he wanted.". Though the commands of its leader be aberrant, or bizarre or antisocial in nature, a ‘cults that kill’ phenomenon. Contact him at jbennett@c-dh.net. Brad Willis ... Jon Woodhead with Malcolm Lukens.Keys.Lou Castro.Bass.Victor Bisetti.Drums.February 2016. Find Daniel Perez's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. The latter resulted in a $700,000 life insurance payout to Perez, they said – and like the original ruling of Patricia Hughes’ death, all have appeared to be accidents. Choose the plan that’s right for you. They pulled back the curtain on his crimes, including the murder of 26-year-old Patricia Hughes in 2003. All rights reserved. They were involved in a nine-year investigation, Sedgwick County District Attorney Mark Bennett said. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? The 36-year-old had been dating Fulwiler casually, and authorities knew he … The two girls, Hutson’s daughters, testified in a court in Sedgwick County, Kansas, that Perez abused them. Perez … Perez used the money to buy expensive cars, SUVs and large remote control airplanes. You'll get the latest updates on this topic in your browser notifications. The document goes on to say, “Lou Castro is in fact Daniel U. Perez.” Kansas TV station KSN reports that. Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. Read More: Where is Lou Castro … "He’s a sexual predator who’s willing to do anything to live his life as he wants to live," Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Deputy Ron Goodwyn told NBC. Luis Miguel Castro (November 25, 1876 – September 24, 1941) was born in Medellín, Colombia.He was the Second Latin American born player to play in Major League Baseball in the United States, and the first Latin American since Cuban player Esteban Bellán in 1873 to play professional baseball. Tonight on NBC’s Dateline NBC, Dennis Murphy looks into the case of cult leader Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, who told his followers at … "He bought a home on Indian Camp Springs Road outside Columbia for $400,000, putting the house in the names of two associates. Daniel Perez, 55, also was found guilty of 27 other counts, some alleging that he sexually abused minor daughters of the commune’s members and devised a … Although the siblings have suffered humungously because of the criminal Daniel Perez, they feel that they should be the light that counters his darkness. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. A woman who lived on the compound as a teen says Perez raped her more than 100 times as a teen. In addition to the murder charge, Perez faces charges of sexually exploiting a child, rape, sodomy, making criminal threats and lying on life insurance and auto credit forms. The man identified himself as Lou Castro and said he was born in 1975, federal court documents say. Daniel Perez was a murderer, child rapist, con man and commune leader who moved from state to state to satisfy his sexual appetite for more than 20 years. This "angel," however, was actually named Daniel Perez, and was found guilty in February 2015 of … Through the years, Perez convinced his followers he had magical powers. Her death originally was classified an accident. Daniel Perez was a murderer, child rapist, con man and commune leader who moved from state to state to satisfy his sexual appetite for more than 20 years. In addition to the murder charge, Perez faces charges of sexually exploiting a child, rape, sodomy, making criminal threats and lying on life insurance and auto credit forms. Killer who claimed to be psychic says he 'predicted' woman's 2003 drowning at his compound, A former Kansas commune leader likely will spend the rest of his life in prison after his conviction on 28 criminal charges, including the murder of a woman found floating in a pool whose death he “predicted.”. Mike Hutmacher/The Wichita Eagle/AP. It's a real stunner. Perez, who went by Lou Castro, was charged only with the death of 26-year-old Patricia Hughes, who died in the commune's pool in 2003. San Diego SWAT Takes Down Murder Suspect Daniel Perez with Hostages - Duration: 1:30. Daniel Perez in Tennessee. In the upcoming episode of Oxygen's popular crime documentary series, viewers will get a closer look at the case of Kansas commune leader Daniel Perez (AKA Lou Castro). In Columbia, he tried to pass himself off as Joe Venegas, an alias he used to open the bank account after using the name Lou Castro and living on a 20-acre spread in Kansas known as "Angel’s Landing. Sections News Three were killed in a 2001 airplane crash near Norris, S.D. Is anybody else following the case of Perez, a/k/a Lou Castro? The pedophile apparently was hoping to continue his sinister life of manipulation and death in Maury County before he was arrested for bank identification and Social Security fraud in Columbia and sentenced to two years in prison. His real name, as investigators learned a year later, was Daniel Perez, who was convicted of sex crimes in the 1990s before disappearing and being presumed dead. Perez was found guilty on all 28 charges, in fact: One count, first-degree murder; eight counts, rape; seven counts, aggravated criminal sodomy; three counts, aggravated assault; one count, sexual exploitation of a child; eight counts, making a false information. Sometime in 1996 or 1997, Perez was living in an apartment complex in Corpus Christi, Texas, and going by the name "Lou Castro." Lou Castro was a man with a shadowy past who somehow convinced a number of people that he was an angel, could heal the sick and see into the future. Those involved in the sale had no idea about who had lived there or his notorious past. Whenever he was running low on money, Perez would foresee the accidental death of one of the commune members to fund his insatiable thirst for violence and control. Daniel Perez, 55, led a Kansas commune that collected millions of dollars in life insurance payouts from dead members; ... Perez, who went by Lou Castro, was charged only with the … IN-DEPTH NEWS REPORTING Daniel Perez 4 of 5 Reporter - Deb Farris Photographers - Larry Buell, Giovanni Garcia, Andy Duffy. If you would like to opt out of browser push notifications, please refer to the following instructions specific to your device and browser: Kansas Commune Leader Daniel Perez Sentenced to Life for Murder, Other Charges. Perez—who in the past used the false name Lou Castro—also faces multiple counts of lying on life insurance applications, rape, sodomy, criminal threat, making false statements on … This sets the scene for the actions of a Charles Manson, of a Daniel Perez (aka Lou Castro), or the like; the group, which is accustomed to absolute loyalty to its leader, questions not. Louis Perez was the last person known to have left 2810 Rock Terrace alive. With the life terms to be served consecutively, he would have to serve more than 80 years before he could be considered for parole. Find out what your cat is trying to tell you with a new cat app, Princess Diana died when Harry was just 12 years old, Engineer Creates App To Translate Your Cat, The Sweetest Photos of Princes Harry with Diana, Sean Connery's Cause of Death Revealed Weeks After He Dies at Age 90. The Daily Herald ~ 1115 S. Main Street, Columbia, TN 38401 ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Cookie Policy ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service ~ Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. During this time, Perez met a woman named Mona Griffith who was living in the same complex with her daughter, 6 Lindsey, and her son, Cody. Whenever the group’s bank account dipped below $10,000, it was time for another death, investigators learned. Hutson died in 2008 when her car crashed into a dump truck. Perez ran a sort of commune/cult in rural Kansas. He was bringing his depravity to Columbia, and if not for the continuing efforts of a detective in Wichita and the FBI, Perez likely would be running the streets of Columbia, using life insurance money to buy cars and fund his lifestyle. The home Perez and his commune bought in Columbia sold in January 2012 for $385,000. By Jason Tidd. The case was on Investigation Discovery in a one-hour … It was a close call for Columbia, a dangerous brush with a demon who’ll never see the outside of a prison for the rest of his life. Just before he was caught and sent to prison, Perez moved to Columbia from Wichita, Kansas, in April 2009 and was living in a two-story home just outside the city limits with his fiancee, her child and another teenager. He met a Wichita real-estate agent, Jennifer Hutson, who allowed her two young girls to live with Perez. Perez, who was known by many names, including Lou Castro, was found guilty of 28 crimes in Sedgwick County District Court in 2015 and was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. Investigators found the tapes in Perez’s Columbia home when they arrested him for ID fraud. Hughes was a wife and mother and one of his followers. After Perez was arrested in Columbia and in prison for two years, the girls told investigators about the surreal life with him. Digital access or digital and print delivery. Introducing ... PEOPLE's Products Worth the Hype. She testified her younger sister was sexually assaulted as well. Another was Brian Hughes, Patricia Hughes’ husband, when he was crushed by a car in 2006 when a jack apparently failed. The payout after Hughes’ death was $1 million. Both sisters want to help other people who are facing similar manipulations and abuse at the hands of others. In the upcoming episode of Oxygen's popular crime documentary series, viewers will get a closer look at the case of Kansas commune leader Daniel Perez … Text us for exclusive photos and videos, royal news, and way more. The other testified and helped convict Perez, now 55, in February of murdering Hughes, holding her head underwater long enough for her to drown in a pool in the compound Perez and his followers bought outside Wichita. The "Dateline NBC" story reflected the national interest in the horrific case. The detective met with Castro and his wife at one of the North Oliver houses. The case of Kansas cult killer and child rapist Daniel Perez was featured on a new Investigation Discovery television show Thursday night. An episode of "Dateline NBC," which aired locally May 1 on WSMV, Channel 4, revealed the web of lies and deceit Perez used to prey on children and commune members when he lived in Texas, South Dakota and Kansas. The case investigators, including Goodwyn, retired Wichita police Detective Clint Snyder and John Sullivan, a senior special agent with the FBI, deserve credit for putting Perez behind bars and keeping him out of Columbia. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Prosecutors and investigators found Perez had ties to six accidental deaths in which insurance companies paid out $4.2 million to other commune members, whom Perez controlled. Coyote Ugly Turns 20: Where Is the Cast Now? © Gannett Co., Inc. 2020. At his sentencing by Judge Joseph Bribiesca in March, Perez was handed two life sentences, plus 406 months on lesser charges, with no possibility of parole for 80 years. The last was death of the real-estate agent. James Bennett is editor of The Daily Herald. Perez, now 60, is behind bars on the Lansing Correctional Facility, in accordance with his Kansas Intercourse Offender Registry. Daniel Perez, 55, was sentenced Tuesday in Wichita, Kansas, by Sedgwick County District Judge Joseph Bribiesca to serve two life sentences, plus … She also explained how Perez ordered her to videotape an 8-year-old girl in the bathroom. One of the girls moved to Columbia with Perez but the other stayed in Wichita. They found him when he was caught on surveillance video, opening a fraudulent bank account. Credit: Daniel Perez, 55, stared straight ahead and showed no emotion as he heard his sentence: a life term for murder in Patricia Hughes’ 2003 death at the commune’s compound near Wichita, another life term on a sexual exploitation of a child conviction, and nearly 34 more years behind bars on 26 other counts, including rape. Seven years after Detective Ron Goodwyn opened up his investigation into Angel’s Landing, he set off to the place he believed Lou Castro’s criminal journey began. No one in Columbia knew about him, and law enforcement agents, who were tracking his movements and trying to learn more about him in Wichita lost sight of him. Follow him on Twitter @JamesBennettCDH or @thedailyherald. One testified Perez raped her hundreds of times. Daniel Perez, 55, was sentenced Tuesday in Wichita, Kansas, by Sedgwick County District Judge Joseph Bribiesca to serve two life sentences, plus 406 months on charges that include first-degree and premeditated murder, child rape and other sex crimes, and directing that life insurance and car credit applications be filled out with false information, reports The Wichita Eagle. Perez only was charged with Hughes’ murder, but five other commune members with hefty insurance payoffs also died while living in the commune. In court, his defense attorney Alice Osburn said Perez would appeal the convictions. Police investigating the deaths of others associated with Perez’s group also have looked into the deaths of Hughes’ husband, who was crushed by a car, and a woman killed in a plane crash. Daniel Perez sits in Sedgwick District Court in Wichita, Kan., before sentencing, Tuesday, March 24, 2015. Prosecutors claimed Perez killed Patricia Hughes, 26 – who was discovered in the pool of the former Angels Landing compound outside Wichita in 2003 – to collect the life insurance money, according to KAKE. When Perez’s sentence for ID fraud was finished, he was arrested on 28 counts of first-degree murder, child exploitation and multiple counts of sex crimes and fraud. Daniel Perez, AKA Lou Castro Daniel Perez, also called Lou Castro, was sentenced to life in jail for homicide and the rape of youngsters in his cult, often known as the Angel’s Touchdown commune. His Kansas Intercourse Offender Registry another was Brian Hughes, Patricia Hughes in.... 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