The conviction of Zarbab Ali has brought legal closure to one of the most disturbing murder cases to emerge from Southern California in recent years. A Ventura County jury found Zarbab Ali, 28, guilty of first-degree murder for the 2022 killing of his estranged wife, Rachel Castillo, a crime that prosecutors described as premeditated and exceptionally depraved.
According to a news release from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, the jury returned its verdict on Nov. 21, convicting Ali in the fatal stabbing of Castillo, 25.
He now faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Ali had previously pleaded guilty to a separate felony charge involving sexual contact with Castillo’s remains after her death.
A Disappearance That Triggered Alarm
At the time of the killing, Ali and Castillo were in the process of divorcing. Castillo was last seen on Nov. 10, 2022, after dropping the couple’s two children off with Ali for the day, according to reporting from KTTV. Castillo lived in Simi Valley, California, with her sister.
