When a young woman stopped to give her keys to a parking valet at Holy Cross Hospital, she never thought she was exposing herself to a huge security risk. She tossed her keys to the valet, and exited the vehicle. She worked as a nurse in the hospital, and was in a hurry.
However, the first time that he had seen this particular woman, the parking valet had fallen “madly in love”. When she gave him her keys, he saw an opportunity. Carlo Castellanos-Feria took the woman’s keys while her car was parked, and brought them to be copied. The woman had given him her entire key ring, which included the key to her apartment.
Castellanos-Feria had a previous history of stalking this particular woman. According to the woman (who is anonymous for legal purposes), he had shown interest in her for several months, regularly harassing her, and even showing up at her church. She had previously filed a complaint against him at Holy Cross Hospital.
Some time later (police aren’t certain of the exact time), Castellanos-Feria broke in to the woman’s apartment. Footage recovered from the suspect’s camera showed him setting up the camera in the woman’s bedroom next to her computer. When he hears the woman and her boyfriend (who is now her husband) coming in to the apartment, the camera captures him quickly hiding underneath the bed. According to police, he remained under the bed for two days.
Even more disturbing, is the items that the stalker chose to bring with him. Police recovered a power cord, latex gloves and condoms following his arrest.
Castellanos-Feria was only discovered when, two days later, the woman’s boyfriend saw something move on the floor. He dragged Castellanos-Feria out of his hiding spot, beat him with a flashlight, and was able to detain him until law enforcement officials arrived. During the trial, Castellanos-Feria said, “I fell madly in love and that blinded my judgment. I beg your forgiveness”. He was sentenced to three years in prison, which was less than the six-year sentence that was originally being sought by the prosecution.
What You Can Do
If you ever discover a stalker, burglar or other intruder in your home, the most important thing to do is leave your residence immediately. Criminals can be unpredictable when discovered, and the most important thing is your safety. Do not attempt to detain the intruder, or grab any personal possessions before leaving. Make your way to the residence of a friend or neighbor, and call the police from that location.
To prevent an intruder from ever being able to gain access to your home, it’s highly recommended that you invest in a monitored home security system, as well as other measures (such as motion-activated lights, window alarms and deadbolt locks). Keep all of the entry points of your home (windows, doors, skylights, etc) secure at all times, even when you’re currently at home. Consider adopting a guard dog, which can be an effective criminal deterrent when properly trained.
