Rockland County man gets life without parole for murdering baby's mother and grandmother
NEW CITY – A 34-year-old Hillcrest man was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison without parole for shooting and killing his infant baby's mother and grandmother in Clarkstown two years ago.
A Rockland County Court jury convicted Robert C. Williams III in April of murdering Kathleen Castor, 27, and her 63-year-old mother, Wanda Castor.
The 2020 killings occurred with Williams and Kathleen Castor’s then-1-year-old child Anastasia inside a cottage Castor and her mother rented on the Tolstoy Foundation property along Lake Road in Valley Cottage.
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The child had been placed in the custody of Rockland Child Protective Services.
Authorities said Kathleen Castor had a stay-away order of protection against Williams when he entered the cottage and shot both women on May 26, 2020, with a .40-caliber gun.
The order of protection had been issued by the Integrated Domestic Violence Court in November 2019. The couple had been together for about a year, Clarkstown Police Detective Lt. Tom Ronan said at the time of the double homicide.
The jury convicted Williams of conviction of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and two counts of first-degree criminal contempt.
Clarkstown Police Chief Jeffery Wanamaker said, “The murders of Wanda and Kathleen Castor was a wanton disregard for human life. We continue to remember the lives that were lost, and the family left behind from that day. Our heartfelt condolences are shared with the family and friends of Wanda and Kathleen.”
Williams' attorney, Michael Bongiorno, said he and co-counsel David Narain will file an appeal of the verdict and an appellate attorney would be appointed to represent Williams. Bongiorno, a former Rockland district attorney, said Williams was the baby’s father.
“I believe there are significant appellate issues that deal with search and seizure,” Bongiorno said.
Rockland County Court Judge Kevin Russo sentenced Williams to life without parole on the first-degree murder counts; 25 years to life on two second-degree murder counts 15 years for the weapons possession and two to four years each on the criminal contempt counts of violating a court order of protection.
Russo also issued a permanent order of protection, for 50 years, for now 2-year-old Anastasia.
Rockland District Attorney Thomas Walsh said on Tuesday, "We hope that with Williams sentencing the Clarkstown community and the Castor family can begin the healing process."
At the time of the double murder, Walsh said domestic violence cases are some of the most common to cross the desks of county prosecutors. In 2018, there were about 1,000 arrests for domestic violence involving physical or sexual abuse; this number only accounts for the crimes reported.
"We are concerned that one of the consequences of the pandemic is the rise in domestic violence cases," Walsh said.
Williams was prosecuted by Executive Assistant District Attorney Nabeela McLeod, Executive Assistant District Attorney Doreen Lloyd, and the late-Executive Assistant District Attorney Stephen Moore.
Staff writer Nancy Cutler contributed to this report.
Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com. Twitter: @lohudlegal.
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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rockland double murder: Robert C. Williams sentenced to life in prison
