Carlos Castro (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Carlos Castro was a Portuguese
television personality and journalist, who had worked in the media for over 35 years, mainly covering gossip
items about musicians, actors and celebrities. He became well known after he had come out
on television and participated in the Big Show SIC, presented by João Baião
, in the 1990s. On January 7, 2011, he was "found castrated and bludgeoned to death in a New York City hotel". The main suspect in his death was his boyfriend, a 21-years old male model, Renato Seabra, who had been a contestant on the Portuguese television modeling-themed reality show À Procura do Sonho (SIC). On January 10, 2011, Seabra was charged with second-degree murder by the NYPD after confessing to the killing of Castro.
, Angola
during the time period that it was a Portuguese colony, Castro had, during his childhood, a great interest in works of poetry. He moved to Luanda
to become a reporter when he was 15. During his life, he became a "high-profile public figure as a TV personality" in Portugal
, who had worked in the media for 35 years covering gossip items about musicians, actors and celebrities, having gained further popularity because of his public coming out
as homosexual to the country and "revealing the feminine side of his personality".
in order to "see some Broadway shows and spend New Year's Eve in Times Square". A friend who had accompanied them on the trip, newspaper editor Luis Pires, stated in a later interview that, "There had been some friction between the two men toward the end of the trip, but nothing to suggest that anything horrible was about to happen". The two went to see a musical
on Broadway
and also a movie during their stay, but, on Friday night, when they were meant to be meeting up with Pires ex-wife and his daughter in the InterContinental
hotel lobby, they did not show. Instead, Seabra appeared and allegedly said, "Carlos will never leave the hotel again."
Pires ex-wife and his daughter immediately notified hotel staff and security, who found Castro's body in the room around 7 PM that night. Castro had been beaten with a nearby laptop and a broken wine bottle had originally been believed to be the weapon used to castrate him. It was later discovered that the corkscrew
for opening the wine bottle had been the castration implement. It had also been used to gouge out one of Castro's eyes. The cause of death found by the medical examiner
was "blunt impact injuries on the head and neck compression." The examiner also noted that there were marks of strangulation on the body. When police looked for Seabra to interrogate
him about the crime, he had already left the scene and later admitted himself to the St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center
because he had tried to slit his own wrists. He was tracked down after his taxi driver called the police when he saw Seabra's picture in a police bulletin. Taken into custody, he was given a psychiatric evaluation
at Bellevue Hospital Center
a few hours later and was considered a person of interest
.
After interrogation by the NYPD at the hospital, Seabra admitted to the murder, stating that he had killed Castro in order to "get rid of [his] 'homosexual demons'". Detectives for the police believe that Seabra had killed Castro after the latter had "refused to take him on an expensive shopping trip." In light of this confession, he was charged with second-degree murder. Odília Pereirinha, Seabra's mother and a nurse with residency in Cantanhede, arrived in New York not long after his confession. She planned on accompanying her son through the trial process in the US.
Renato Seabra was transferred on January 10, 2011 to the prison section of the Bellevue Hospital Center, while his case was handed over to the New York County District Attorney
, Cyrus Vance, Jr.
No date has been set for the court hearing
, though it is known that Seabra will be appearing before a grand jury
.
Carlos Castro's ashes were spread in the New York Subway near Broadway
by his sisters, as was his desire.
-related show where a British
female medium
, Anne Germain, claims she can have a conversation with dead people, that had been filmed in October 2010. During the show broadcast on January 21, 2011, Castro was allegedly "visited" by old drag queen
friend José Centúrio de Almeida (stage name: Ruth Bryden), among other people he had known. The episode was originally delayed in airing due to complaints, but the producers decided to air the episode anyways. Afterwards, four further complaints were made to the Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social (ERC), which were then sent to the board's legal department.
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
television personality and journalist, who had worked in the media for over 35 years, mainly covering gossip
Gossip
Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted...
items about musicians, actors and celebrities. He became well known after he had come out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
on television and participated in the Big Show SIC, presented by João Baião
João Baião
João Baião is a Portuguese television presenter, entertainer and actor.-Early life and career:He was born in Buraca, Amadora, a satellite town close to Lisbon. As a child João Baião played soccer, gymnastics, and was part of a body of scouts. Since an yearly age he embraced in theatrical...
, in the 1990s. On January 7, 2011, he was "found castrated and bludgeoned to death in a New York City hotel". The main suspect in his death was his boyfriend, a 21-years old male model, Renato Seabra, who had been a contestant on the Portuguese television modeling-themed reality show À Procura do Sonho (SIC). On January 10, 2011, Seabra was charged with second-degree murder by the NYPD after confessing to the killing of Castro.
Personal life
Born in MoçâmedesNamibe
Namibe is the capital city of Namibe Province in Angola. It is a coastal desert city located in southwestern Angola and was founded in 1840 by the Portuguese rulers of the territory. The city's current population is 132,900...
, Angola
Angola (Portugal)
Angola is the common name by which the Portuguese colony in southwestern Africa was known across different periods of time...
during the time period that it was a Portuguese colony, Castro had, during his childhood, a great interest in works of poetry. He moved to Luanda
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
to become a reporter when he was 15. During his life, he became a "high-profile public figure as a TV personality" in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, who had worked in the media for 35 years covering gossip items about musicians, actors and celebrities, having gained further popularity because of his public coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as homosexual to the country and "revealing the feminine side of his personality".
Murder
Both Castro and Seabra had traveled to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in order to "see some Broadway shows and spend New Year's Eve in Times Square". A friend who had accompanied them on the trip, newspaper editor Luis Pires, stated in a later interview that, "There had been some friction between the two men toward the end of the trip, but nothing to suggest that anything horrible was about to happen". The two went to see a musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and also a movie during their stay, but, on Friday night, when they were meant to be meeting up with Pires ex-wife and his daughter in the InterContinental
InterContinental
InterContinental is a brand of upscale luxury hotels, founded by Pan American World Airways, under Juan Trippe, and now owned by InterContinental Hotels Group. The chain operates over 200 hotels and resorts in approximately 75 nations.-History:...
hotel lobby, they did not show. Instead, Seabra appeared and allegedly said, "Carlos will never leave the hotel again."
Pires ex-wife and his daughter immediately notified hotel staff and security, who found Castro's body in the room around 7 PM that night. Castro had been beaten with a nearby laptop and a broken wine bottle had originally been believed to be the weapon used to castrate him. It was later discovered that the corkscrew
Corkscrew
A corkscrew is a kitchen tool for drawing stopping corks from wine bottles. Generally, a corkscrew consists of a pointed metallic helix attached to a handle. The user grips the handle and screws the metal point into the cork, until the helix is firmly embedded, then a vertical pull on the...
for opening the wine bottle had been the castration implement. It had also been used to gouge out one of Castro's eyes. The cause of death found by the medical examiner
Medical examiner
A medical examiner is a medically qualified government officer whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests....
was "blunt impact injuries on the head and neck compression." The examiner also noted that there were marks of strangulation on the body. When police looked for Seabra to interrogate
Interrogation
Interrogation is interviewing as commonly employed by officers of the police, military, and Intelligence agencies with the goal of extracting a confession or obtaining information. Subjects of interrogation are often the suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime...
him about the crime, he had already left the scene and later admitted himself to the St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, an academic affiliate of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, is a 1,076-bed, full-service community and tertiary care hospital serving New York City’s Midtown West, Upper West Side and parts of Harlem....
because he had tried to slit his own wrists. He was tracked down after his taxi driver called the police when he saw Seabra's picture in a police bulletin. Taken into custody, he was given a psychiatric evaluation
Psychological evaluation
A psychological evaluation or mental examination is an examination into a person's mental health by a mental health professional such as a psychologist. A psychological evaluation may result in a diagnosis of a mental illness...
at Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center, most often referred to as "Bellevue", was founded on March 31, 1736 and is the oldest public hospital in the United States. Located on First Avenue in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, Bellevue is famous from many literary, film and television...
a few hours later and was considered a person of interest
Person of interest
"Person of interest" is a phrase used by law enforcement when announcing the name of someone involved in a criminal investigation who has not been arrested or formally accused of a crime. The phrase was adopted by the media and widely disseminated, thus most law enforcement agencies have picked up...
.
After interrogation by the NYPD at the hospital, Seabra admitted to the murder, stating that he had killed Castro in order to "get rid of [his] 'homosexual demons'". Detectives for the police believe that Seabra had killed Castro after the latter had "refused to take him on an expensive shopping trip." In light of this confession, he was charged with second-degree murder. Odília Pereirinha, Seabra's mother and a nurse with residency in Cantanhede, arrived in New York not long after his confession. She planned on accompanying her son through the trial process in the US.
Renato Seabra was transferred on January 10, 2011 to the prison section of the Bellevue Hospital Center, while his case was handed over to the New York County District Attorney
New York County District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for New York County , New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws....
, Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Cyrus Roberts Vance, Jr. is an American trial lawyer. He is the incumbent New York County District Attorney , and was previously a principal at the law firm of Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Isaon, Anello & Bohrer, P.C...
No date has been set for the court hearing
Hearing (law)
In law, a hearing is a proceeding before a court or other decision-making body or officer, such as a government agency.A hearing is generally distinguished from a trial in that it is usually shorter and often less formal...
, though it is known that Seabra will be appearing before a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
.
Carlos Castro's ashes were spread in the New York Subway near Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
by his sisters, as was his desire.
Depois da Vida show
After his murder in New York, Carlos Castro was shown on the Portuguese television TVI's program Depois da Vida (After Life), a paranormalParanormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
-related show where a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
female medium
Mediumship
Mediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...
, Anne Germain, claims she can have a conversation with dead people, that had been filmed in October 2010. During the show broadcast on January 21, 2011, Castro was allegedly "visited" by old drag queen
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
friend José Centúrio de Almeida (stage name: Ruth Bryden), among other people he had known. The episode was originally delayed in airing due to complaints, but the producers decided to air the episode anyways. Afterwards, four further complaints were made to the Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social (ERC), which were then sent to the board's legal department.