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Zarbab Ali, a 28-year-old California man, has been convicted of murdering his estranged wife, the mother of his two children, Rachel Castillo, burying her body, and digging up and raping her corpse.
According to a news release published by Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko on November 21, 2025, Zarbab Ali was found guilty by a jury. Furthermore, he was convicted on charges of first-degree murder. The release notes that prior to his trial, Ali pled guilty to “the felony crime of sexual contact with the victims remains after her death.”
Lastly, the release notes that Ali now faces a “mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.” He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2026.
According to the news release, Rachel Castillo was in the process of divorcing Zarbab Ali and their divorce was “nearly complete” when he murdered her in November 2022. Ali reportedly hid in Castillo’s apartment and jumped out at her, repeatedly stabbing her to death. He then allegedly wrapped her body in a blanket. Then, buried her in a shallow grave, presumably in a “remote desert area.” Ali reportedly returned on one occasion to abuse her corpse.
“Just to confirm that I am a monster, I raped her,” he reportedly told police, per the New York Post. “If I didnt commit to being a monster, then she would have died for no reason.”
Per the outlet, during his trial, Ali reportedly stated that he murdered and abused his wife because she cheated on him. Per PEOPLE, Castillo’s family disagreed with his claim. They reportedly noted that she was a “straight-A student in her masters program,” and a “good mother.” Not a drug addict and sex fiend.”
“This is the only way I could escape,” he reportedly said, per the outlet. “I wanted her dead. I was angry that she just wouldnt let me move on.”
After Ali’s conviction, prosecutor David Russell stated that he was “thankful for the outstanding efforts of law enforcement, whose investigation made this verdict possible.”
“While nothing can restore what her loved ones have lost, this conviction ensures the defendant will spend the rest of his life in prison and that the community will be protected from him forever,” Russell added.
Before the fatal and gruesome incident involving Zarbarb Ali and his estranged wife, Rachel Castillo, another crime involving a corpse in Ohio made headlines. As The Shade Room previously reported, in March 2024, two women arrived at their home to find their roommate deceased. The roommate was reportedly 80 years old. Furthermore, the women, Karen Casbohm and Loreen Bea Feralo, took his corpse to a drive-thru bank.
They reportedly used his body to withdraw money from his account. This, before dropping his body off at a hospital.
