A man extradited from El Salvador in connection with his estranged wife’s stabbing death in Pacoima nearly nine years ago has been charged with murder and torture, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
Napoleon Eduardo Castro — also known as Juan Flores, Luis Sanchez, “Trouble” and “Napo” — is set to be arraigned March 6 at the San Fernando courthouse in connection with the torture killing of his estranged wife, Olga Martinez, 30, in her garage.
Castro could face a maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of the murder charge, which includes the special circumstance allegations of murder involving the infliction of torture and murder by means of lying in wait, along with the allegation that he used a knife in the commission of the crime.
He was taken into custody by members of the FBI’s Fugitive Task Force, according to the FBI, which announced last week that a reward had been paid in connection with the investigation.
Castro allegedly attacked his 33-year-old estranged wife in the garage of her condominium building in the 11000 block of Glenoaks Boulevard in the early morning hours of May 1, 2010. Her body was found in a pool of blood at the entrance to the garage, according to the FBI. She had been stabbed multiple times.
Authorities had named Castro as the suspect in the killing shortly after the crime, and state and federal warrants were subsequently issued for his arrest. The wanted poster distributed by the FBI noted that he had the name “OLGA” tattooed on his chest.
He was turned over last Thursday to Los Angeles police and is being held without bail.