An inmate at the McLennan County Jail has been linked to a cold case murder from 2003 in Lubbock.

According to a report from our news partners at KWTX, Andy Castillo, 56, has been serving time in the McLennan County jail for cyber stalking real estate agents and threatening to harm their children.

Castillo's DNA was taken when he was arrested in Lubbock back in January, and authorities have now discovered that he is a far bigger predator than originally assumed.

Law enforcement was already beginning to unravel Castillo's far reach of harassment to real estate agents across at least 20 cities in 10 different states, according to a report from the WacoTrib.

Cynthia Palacio - TxDPS Photo
Cynthia Palacio - TxDPS Photo
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Now, the Texas Rangers have matched Castillo's DNA to the 2003 murder of 21-year-old mother, Cynthia Palacios.

“We worked hard on holding this monster accountable because of the horrible threats he was making to women and children in Waco,” said Detective Joseph Scaramucci. “This arrest confirms Castillo wasn’t just some internet troll trying to exploit women and children - he’s a murderer.”

Palacios was found strangled to death with no clothing from the waist-down on a rural road in Lubbock on July 15, 2003. Less than a year later, Palacios' roommate, Linda Trevino Carbajal, was also found murdered by strangulation and blunt force trauma on yet another rural road in Lubbock.

It is not confirmed that Castillo may be the murderer of Carbajal, but authorities do believe Castillo to be a suspect.

Castillo is currently still incarcerated at the McLennan county jail on bonds totaling more than $1.5 million.

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