Ark Valley News - ‘Castro’ murder trial delayed for third time

‘Castro’ murder trial delayed for third time
By Matt Heilman
Last Updated: May 23, 2013

The murder trial of a former rural Valley Center man has been postponed for a third time.

Daniel U. Perez, who lived near 93rd North and Oliver under the alias of "Lou Castro," was scheduled to stand trial starting on May 31. The trial, initially scheduled to have started last July, has now been delayed more than a year.

The latest postponement has the trial set to begin Sept. 23.

Last June, a Sedgwick County District Court judge ruled that enough evidence had been presented in a preliminary hearing for Perez to stand trial on 38 charges, including first-degree murder, sex crimes and providing false information to apply for auto credit and collection on life insurance.

Prosecutors say Perez drowned 26-year-old Patricia Hughes in June 2003 on property in the 9500 block of North Oliver. It was initially believed she had drowned while trying to rescue her 2-year-old daughter.

Information from witnesses in a preliminary hearing last year provided enough information for the case to be reopened. Perez was arrested in January 2012 and is awaiting his trial at the Sedgwick County Jail.