By Jeff Hamlin
Assistant News Director

As the Alvaro Castillo murder trial resumes today in Hillsborough, it is now official that Castillo won’t be taking the stand.

Castillo spoke for the first time in his own trial late Friday afternoon with Judge Allen Baddour.

The jury was out of the courtroom at the time. The later part of last week’s testimony focused on Castillo’s mindset in the days leading up to August 30,2006, when he allegedly murdered his father Rafael and opened fire at Orange High School, injuring two students.

Dr. James Hilkey, who delivered testimony over the course of two days, treated Castillo at Raleigh’s Central Prison.

It was after a failed suicide attempt in April 2006 that Castillo changed his focus from sacrificing himself to sacrificing others.

Dr. Hilkey says Castillo never used the words “homicide” or “murder.” Instead, he chose “sacrifice” because he felt by killing his intended victims, they would be sent to heaven and be relieved instead of worrying about work, temptation or paying taxes.

The defense in Castillo’s case has pleaded not guilty by reasons of insanity. Defender James Williams spent most of last week with witnesses supporting his argument that Castillo’s mental state was so delusional at the time of the shootings, he didn’t know right from wrong, so he can’t be held criminally responsible.