Circumstantial Evidence ties Mike Castro to Ronnie's "disappearance"

CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE: indirect evidence; secondary
facts by which a principal fact may be reasonably inferred.

Example: There are no eyewitnesses to place Steve at the
site of the car accident, but there is a variety of circumstantial
evidence to suggest that Steve was involved. The prints at the
scene of the accident match the tires on his car, the color of
several scratches on the other person's car is the same as the
color of Steve's car, and his car is dented precisely where the
other driver said it would be. That evidence could be used to
implicate Steven in the collision.


Katrina and Widow Bates have been presenting circumstantial evidence concerning Mike Castro's involvement in Ronnie Bates' disappearance and interference with the investigation. 1) Mike Castro's intentional failure to act and report a vehicle abandoned in the Bowen Ranch parking lot until reward posted by Widow Bates three months later emboldened Michelle and Eric to turn in the car. 2) Mike Castro's attempts to collect the reward and his discrediting Eric and Michelle (stating to Widow Bates that they were bad people and belonged in jail). 3) Mike Castro's evasive answers to others concerning the abandoned car. 4) Mike Castro has many stories about Ronnie's car and how it was found. 5) Towing of the abandoned car by Mike Castro's cousin. 6) Property missing from the car after it was towed. 7) Ronnie's stolen credit card used in Barstow and related connections. These events are considered circumstantial evidence.

Remember, the car rental company had reported Ronnie's car as stolen and Widow Bates had reported Ronnie as missing. Therefore: if Mike Castro had acted responsibly with a timely report of the abandoned car, Ronnie's body would have been quickly found and the cause of death could probably have been determined. Instead, three months of delay by Mike Castro and the victim's body was ravaged by elements so it is not discovered by the recovery team and the international search was initiated as a last resort. Even if Widow Bates cannot prove that Mike Castro murdered Ronnie Bates, she could argue that Mike Castro's deliberate failure to act with a timely report of the abandoned car was the proximate cause for the "disappearance" of Ronnie's body.



Post Edited (04-05-03 17:16)