We have a shocking story to report out of Hawthorne, California today.
And we must warn you in advance that this article contains graphic descriptions of some truly horrific crimes.
A man named Zarbab Ali, 28, has confessed to murdering his estranged wife, Rachel Castillo, 25
Ali confesses to series of shocking crimes
“I found Rachel, she was alone, and I killed her,” Ali told police in Ventura County, California, according to local ABC affiliate KABC.
When asked for his motives, Ali replied, “There was no reason.”
“I really didn’t want to do it,” he told detectives in a video recording. “Everything in my body was telling me not to do it.”
“Just to confirm that I am a monster, I raped her,” he continued, adding:
“If I didn’t commit to being a monster, then she would have died for no reason.”
On Friday, Ali was found guilty of first-degree murder, a crime that carries a mandatory life sentence.
Search for missing mom ends in tragedy
Castillo, a mother of two, went missing from her home on November 10, 2022.
Her sister tells KABC that she arrived at Rachel’s home to find the residence covered in blood.
“As soon as I saw the blood, that’s when I realized something wasn’t right,” she told the outlet.
She explained that she called her mother and then called 911, fearing the worst.
“I was running around the house trying to see if I could find her somewhere,” said the sister.
“I checked her bathroom, under her bed, her closet, my closet, the laundry room, my bathroom and my bedroom but she wasn’t anywhere in there.”
Police confirmed that they found “a significant amount of blood” at the scene, as well as evidence that “a struggle occurred inside.”
Ali repeatedly told police that he does not know why he committed the brutal murder, but he notes that the crime had been on his mind since he and Castillo separated, nine months prior.
Our thoughts go out to Rachel Castillo’s loved ones as they continue to process this horrific tragedy.