Funeral expense fund set up for Modesto homicide victim
An account has opened on the fundraising website GoFundMe to pay for the funeral expenses of 19-year-old Andrea Castro, who was killed in her south Modesto home Friday afternoon.
The woman’s boyfriend, 23-year-old Jose Cuevas-Nery, was taken into custody several hours later in Bakersfield and remained in Stanislaus County jail Sunday, held without bail on a murder charge.
Castro “leaves behind two beautiful children, a 5-year-old and 1-year-old,” according to the summary on the GoFundMe page. “Andrea was ripped out of this world from the father of her children. Please help us give her a proper funeral. Her family needs all the help they can get for funeral expenses, and the well-being of the innocent children who are left without a mother and father.”
A relative of Castro’s, Alondra Blanco, told The Modesto Bee in an email, “Andrea ... was motivated to leave the father of her children for a better life, she escaped a near-death experience before and decided to moved in with her mother ... and stepdad. ... Andrea was young but dedicated to her children.
“Like many abusive relationships Andrea made a mistake, and unfortunately that one mistake cost her life. Andrea was a good mother, and now her two innocent children won’t get to feel her angelic touch when she would put them to sleep, until they see each other again in heaven. Andrea’s children are now in the hands of their grieving grandmother and (Castro’s) stepdad, who are pleading help from our Modesto community.”
The homicide occurred in the 1500 block of Moselle Court, just south of Hatch Road and west of Crows Landing Road. Modesto police officers responding about 1:30 p.m. to a report of a domestic disturbance found Castro. She died at the scene.
Officers learned that Jose Cuevas-Nery had left the residence before their arrival. He later notified authorities of his whereabouts and was returned to Modesto.
The motive and cause of death have not been released.
The GoFundMe page is at www.gofundme.com/qvkxgdb9.
Anyone with information about the homicide is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward. Tipsters can text information to Crime Stoppers at 274637; type “TIP704” along with the message.
This story was originally published January 24, 2016 at 11:08 AM with the headline "Funeral expense fund set up for Modesto homicide victim."