BOYLE HEIGHTS : Man Gets 15 Years to Life for Strangling His Wife
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A man who strangled his wife of 40 years, then buried her beneath their Boyle Heights home was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years to life in prison.
Henry Castorena, convicted of second-degree murder for killing his wife last summer, showed no emotion as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Ann Murphy imposed the sentence.
“It was fairly chilling to me to hear (Castorena) describe what he did in such a cold and calculated manner,” Murphy said. “I don’t see any evidence that the defendant has shown any remorse.”
Hortencia Castorena, 62, was found buried beneath the couple’s Beswick Street home in November, about two months after her family reported her missing.
Castorena, a husband and father who had his own towing business and who took the stand during his trial, was arrested a short time later and charged with murder. Prosecutors contended that he had strangled his wife after they fought over his handling of their finances.
Defense attorney Casey Lilienfield contended that the woman died of natural causes during a heated dispute and that his client panicked and buried her.
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