If you tell people you want to write a book/movie/play, etc., you will likely hear something along the following: “A good writer writes from personal experience.” And Maryann Castorena might just have followed that advice a little too closely to its intended meaning.

This story came to light when Jose Hernandez’s body was found buried in the snow by his still-running car. Hernandez was the former paramour of Castorena and the former roommate of Anthony Delagarza, who was arrested for the murder and then confessed to the crime. However, he claimed he was not acting alone. According to Delagarza, Castrorena offered to pay him $50,000 to commit the murder so that she could cash in on Hernandez’s life insurance. And it turned out this was not a case of his word against hers. There was a pretty detailed letter involved.

The letter from Castorena, found in the backpack of the killer, basically said things like the following:

• Are we still on for that ‘thing we discussed’ (wink, wink)?
• Just do it right by his car.
• The snow will cover it up.
• Don’t drop stuff on the ground that people can find.
• Don’t park by the gas station or ATM that’s right there because there might be cameras there.

You get the point. It was basically an advice column on how to kill one specific person. According to Castorena, though, this is all just a big coincidence. Her letter was not about having Hernandez killed, but about making money. I know, I know, it seems like one and the same: she was going to make money by having him killed; however, that was not actually her plan. You see, what the police thought was a letter addressed to a hit man on how to kill an individual man, was actually a movie script/book idea that Castorena wrote after overhearing two women talking.

Courtesy of Giphy.

Strangely, this story was met with a few raised eyebrows. I mean, believable as her claim was, there actually were a few … plot holes. Like, why were these women talking about killing someone in such a specific manner in a public place? Were they trying to kill Hernandez or just anyone? If it was Hernandez, why would Castorena write a movie about it instead of going to the cops? I mean, at the very least she should want this nipped in the bud so that there would be no spoilers, right? Why would she have the murder in the movie take place right outside of her boyfriend’s place near the same ATM and gas station that was really there? Why was the letter written as an instruction sheet and not a book or script? You probably get the picture.

Since nobody seemed to buy her completely legitimate, realistic story, she had to write another one: she finally admitted to police that this was not actually a book idea, but that it was a letter she wrote about the murder of Hernandez … that Delagarza made her write. Wait! You don’t think that sounds realistic either? Okay. Um. She means … oh! She’s got it! This guy broke into her apartment one night and forced her to write that letter at knifepoint! That’s it! That’s what happened!

Delagarza is saying that not even that last, clearly likely version of her tale is accurate, though, and maintains that it was, in fact, Castorena who wanted Hernandez dead. The alleged playwright is being charged with a whole bunch of crimes, including murder. She better hope that the judge is a Mark Twain fan who knows that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Ashley Shaw

Ashley Shaw is an Alabama native and current New Jersey resident. A graduate of both Kennesaw State University and Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, she spends her free time reading, writing, boxing, horseback riding, playing trivia, flying helicopters, playing sports, and a whole lot else. So maybe she has too much spare time. Contact Ashley at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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