Samurai Sword Used In Decapitation Of San Carlos Woman: DA

SAN CARLOS, CA — A Hayward man used a samurai sword in the decapitation of a San Carlos woman last week, authorities have confirmed.

Jose Rafael Solano Landaeta, 33, was arrested on suspicion of murder Thursday afternoon in connection with the grisly killing of Karina Castro, a 27-year-old former Menlo-Atherton High School student and the mother of two earlier in the day, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office said.

Landaeta’s arraignment, originally scheduled for Monday, was continued to Tuesday after defense attorney Robert Cummings requested that his client’s mental competency to stand trial be evaluated, the DA’s Office said.

Landaeta remains in custody on a no-bail warrant.

Landaeta was charged with murder with an enhancement for being armed in commission of a felony, the DA’s Office said.

He faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life, The Mercury News reports.

Court Commissioner Sarah Burdick issued a protective Monday order directing the defendant to have no contact with the victim’s two children, one of whom one he is the father of, the DA’s Office said.

Landaeta, who has a history of mental illness, had been under a protective order not to harass the victim at any time, the DA’s Office said.

The crime occurred at around 11:40 a.m. Thursday outside the victim’s home in broad daylight in the 300 block of Laurel Street, the DA’s Office said.

The attack occurred in public in front of multiple witnesses, the DA’s Office said.

“The defendant attacked the victim with a samurai sword, slashing in numerous times causing the victim’s head to be almost severed,” the DA’s Office said.

Landaeta then put the bloody sword in his car that was parked two blocks away and returned to the scene where Castro’s body was laying in the street, the DA’s Office said.

Sheriff’s Office Lt. Eamonn Allen told reporters Thursday that a “stabbing instrument was used” and that responding deputies found the victim “obviously deceased.”

Landaeta and his victim had been involved in a relationship, but the victim had a restraining order against him, ABC 7 reports.

Child Protective Services took custody of the victim's two children, both girls, 7 and 1 years of age, along with a dog and two cats that were in the house, ABC 7 reports.

Landaeta is the father of Castro's 1-year-old daughter, the television station reports.

San Carlos Mayor Sara McDowell and joined fellow councilmembers in issuing condolences in the aftermath of a crime that’s shocked the conscience of this community.

"Yesterday, our community was shocked by the tragic murder of a young mother in our community. Thanks to the quick reaction by neighbors calling 911, San Carlos deputies were able to quickly respond and immediately take a suspect into custody. It appears the victim and the suspect knew each other," the statement said.

"The City Council and its employees join our community in expressing our deepest condolences to the two young children who lost their mother in this horrific and senseless act of violence and to all the victims' family, friends, and loved ones who suffer this loss as well."

The city of San Carlos and the San Carlos Community Foundation have partnered to accept and hold in trust donations for the future benefit of the victim's children, with 100 percent of all donations going to the victim's children.

Anyone interested in making such a gift may visit here.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Det. Brandt at (650) 333-8195 or dbrandt@smcgov.org.

— Bay City News contributed to this report