Man officially charged with fatally shooting woman near Tacoma church last week
A man is accused of fatally shooting a woman on March 27 following an argument, Pierce County prosecutors say.
Randy Brown, 60, was charged with first degree murder in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Yinairy Medina Castro. He was arrested on Saturday at about 5 p.m. when Tacoma officers located him in the city’s north end. He was booked into Pierce County Jail, according to a Tacoma Police Department media release.
A plea of not guilty was entered on Brown’s behalf during his arraignment at Pierce County Superior Court on Monday, April 8. Court commissioner Barbara McInvaille set his bail at $1.5 million, records show.
Castro died from multiple gunshot wounds near Tacoma Avenue South and Delin Street and her cause of death was listed as a homicide, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Charging documents state that Brown killed Castro following a confrontation after she accused him of previously touching her.
Brown has criminal history out of Arizona, Florida and Connecticut. He has an outstanding warrant out of Florida for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon from 1993, prosecutors wrote.
Charging details
Tacoma police were dispatched at 10:43 a.m. to the shooting scene for report of a woman lying on the road. It appeared that she had been shot. The woman was later identified as Castro, prosecutors wrote.
Castro died at the scene after life-saving measures were initiated. Police canvassed the area where there was a nearby homeless encampment that contained about five to six tents. Prosecutors wrote there was also a tent that was referred to as the “community tent.” Castro had recently been living at the encampment. Brown also resided there and had a tent.
Through their investigation and witness statements, police learned that Castro had been sitting on the couch when Brown allegedly shot her. Blood and shell casings were found on the ground near the tent, documents show.
One witness told police that he was driving and saw Castro lying in the street. He drove up when saw Castro grabbing at her neck. When he spoke to 911 dispatch, he said that she stopped moving. Another driver reported he was driving and flagged down by another person. Castro was “thrashing” on the ground and bleeding from her mouth, prosecutors wrote.
Investigators spoke to witnesses who were at the homeless encampment and recounted what happened. One witness identified Brown as the suspect and indicated he was probably high on drugs. The witness said that Castro accused Brown of touching her, which made him mad and then he allegedly shot her, documents show.
Castro told a witness’ boyfriend that Brown had been touching her. The boyfriend confronted Brown and asked, “Really you did that?” Brown did not respond to him. He walked towards his tent and a few second later witnesses heard gunshots. Prosecutors wrote that a witness heard one gunshot, a pause and then two gunshots in quick succession.
A witness said she saw Brown with a black firearm in his right hand. When she checked on Castro afterwards, she saw the victim walking towards the street and then collapsing. She tried to administer first aid, but said that Castro took her last breath in her arms, documents state.
Another witness who had been at the camp at the time of shooting told detectives that she had known Brown for several years, and met Castro a few days prior to the incident. She said that Castro was inside the community tent on the couch and several people were talking to her. She told them that Brown had previously touched her. Prosecutors wrote that when Brown was confronted with this information, he claimed that Castro hit him with a machete.
The witness reported seeing a small injury near Brown’s ear, but thought it was an old injury. Castro confirmed to people in the tent she had hit Brown with the machete because he touched her. Brown exited the community tent and the witness believes he was going to go and retrieve his gun. After that, gunshots rang out. Brown walked out with a group and headed towards the Rescue Mission, allegedly acting as if nothing had happened, documents show.
Brown’s whereabouts are unknown and he is listed as a transient, prosecutors wrote. One witness described Brown as a white male, 5’4-5’5, with straight gray streaked hair and scruffy facial hair.
This story was originally published April 4, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
