The Aporia · California man with 'compulsion' to murder tries to turn himself in TWICE...stunned officers reveal possible serial killer confessed after being shooed away by other deputies

California man with 'compulsion' to murder tries to turn himself in TWICE...stunned officers reveal possible serial killer confessed after being shooed away by other deputies

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Heller, V. (2026, September 26). California man with 'compulsion' to murder tries to turn himself in TWICE...stunned officers reveal possible serial killer confessed after being shooed away by other deputies. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16161559/California-man-compulsion-murder-friend.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

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Quick Summary

Marcelino Castro, 28, of California, confessed to murdering two people at different times by luring them with methamphetamine offers, then strangling or striking them. He initially tried to turn himself in twice: once at Main County Jail in San Jose where he was not believed, and again successfully at the San Jose Police Headquarters. Castro led officers to the locations along the Guadalupe River bed where the bodies were found; the area is frequented by homeless individuals experiencing frequent violence. Deputy District Attorney Michael Gadeberg described Castro’s case as unique due to a lack of apparent motive, suggesting a compulsion to kill.

Written by AI on 2026-09-26, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Marcelino Castro, 28, from San Jose, was charged with two counts of murder after confessing to killing two men and leading police to their bodies buried along the Guadalupe River. Deputy Santa Clara County District Attorney Michael Gadeberg warned that these killings might be part of a serial killer case due to Castro’s behavior pattern. Castro initially flagged down an officer on September 19, guiding them to one victim's body near Lelong Street and West Alma Avenue; he then confessed to a second killing the same day. Prosecutors noted Castro tried twice to turn himself in, first at Main County Jail where deputies did not believe him, later successfully confessing at San Jose Police Headquarters on September 19. Authorities are concerned about possible additional victims given Castro's apparent lack of motive and methodical approach in luring victims under the pretense of smoking methamphetamine together.

Written for “Possible Serial Killer Suspect” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 25% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Suspect who led authorities to two dead bodies in a park could be serial killer, district attorney warns Same event

The Independent

Hedges 10 of 22 claims Outlet record 59/100

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

25%

5 of 20 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

68/100

Daily Mail's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Crime & Law

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Victor Heller

81 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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Also by Victor Heller

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2026-10-31 · Daily Mail

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2026-10-30 · Daily Mail

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 81 articles by Victor Heller →

Claims (20 extracted, 5 hedged)

- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source A California man shocked a room full of police officers when he walked into a police station and confessed to killing two people – for the second time. Marcelino Castro, 28, was arrested on Saturday after he confessed to murdering two people on two different days. According to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, the first killing took place on September 13 and involved a friend of Castro's. uncertain

killing → see → Castro

Only a few days later, Castro allegedly murdered another person, who this time was unknown to the killer. uncertain

who → murder → killer

A statement of facts declaration from a police detective said Castro's friend had been strangled and his throat slit, while the stranger had been strangled and struck with a rock. asserted

stranger → say → rock

In both cases, Castro lured the victims by offering to smoke methamphetamine with them, police said. asserted

police → lure → them

Prosecutors added that Castro tried to turn himself in at the Main County Jail in San Jose but that the deputies there did not believe him. asserted

deputies → add → him

Afterwards, Castro went to the San Jose Police Headquarters where he confessed to the crimes again, according to prosecutors. uncertain

he → go → prosecutors

Marcelino Castro, 28, turned himself in after reportedly murdering his friend and a stranger in California Castro reportedly first tried to turn himself in at the Main County Jail in San Jose but the deputies there did not believe him which is why he had to go to the San Jose Police Headquarters The 28-year-old allegedly lured his victims by suggesting to smoke methamphetamine with them, police said He reportedly also led officers to the locations where the victim's bodies were found, along the Guadalupe River bed. uncertain

bodies → turn → bed

Deputy District Attorney Michael Gadeberg said: 'I've never seen a case like this, where there's just no apparent motive. 'Where someone just has this compulsion to kill, starts with a friend or someone they knew, and then moves on to a total stranger.' The area along Guadalupe River where the victims were murdered is known to be frequented by people experiencing homelessness. asserted

victims → say → homelessness

Shaunn Cartwright from the Unhoused Response Group told KTVU: 'There is a lot of violence that happens to unhoused people.' asserted

that → tell → people

The bodies of Castro's victims were found along the Guatalupe River bed The area is known to be frequented by people experiencing homelessness, locals said Deputy District Attorney Michael Gadeberg said he has 'never seen a case like this' asserted

he → find → this

Cartwright added that there was a third recent death that could be connected to Castro. uncertain

that → add → Castro

It was the same day that the man turned himself in,' Cartwright said. asserted

Cartwright → turn → himself

'They were found in the morning. asserted

They → find → morning

It's just that there was a third body that was found on the same day.' asserted

that → be → day

Castro missed his first scheduled arraignment on Wednesday, when he did not show up in court. asserted

he → miss → court

He did appoint a lawyer on Wednesday and came into his rescheduled court hearing on Thursday but did not make any statements to the court. asserted

He → appoint → court

While the victims have not been identified, a woman who was at Castro's hearing claimed she was the mother of one of the victims. asserted

she → identify → victims

She did not want to be approached for comment, however. asserted

She → want → comment

Castro remains in jail without bail until his next court appearance, scheduled for December 8. asserted

Castro → remain → December

Prosecutors said they can not rule out the possibility of more victims. asserted

they → say → victims

California man with 'compulsion' to murder tries to turn himself in TWICE...stunned officers reveal possible serial killer confessed after being shooed away by other deputies

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Claims (20 extracted, 5 hedged)