News

Family Of Slain Armored Car Guard Reacts To Arrests

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News was with a close family member of a slain armored car guard as he learned that the two suspects were arrested and charged with related robberies in Gwinnett County.

On Wednesday morning, Gwinnett County police arrested and charged Stacey Dooley and Quinton Booker with three counts of armed robbery. Dooley was also charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery.

Investigators told Channel 2 that the men could to be tied to a series of eight violent armored car and ATM robberies in Cobb, Gwinnett and DeKalb counties, including one that left guard Sgt. Gary Castillo dead.

Castillo was shot to death on March 15 as he carried money to his armored car from a Toco Hill Kroger in DeKalb County.

Investigative reporter Mark Winne sat down with Castillo's brother-in-law, Jose Romero, who shared how he has been coping with the pain since the tragic loss and expressed relief upon learning of this latest development.

"To be honest with you, calling him my brother-in-law sort of takes away from our relationship. He's my brother. I loved him with all my heart. I still love him, and he was tremendous for us. He was a friend, he was a brother. That's the toughest part, is the pain, the void. You know these guys they may have taken him away in the physical sense, but in the end, our heavenly father prevails and he's with him now so that's comforting."

Castillo was an army veteran who had enlisted in the Georgia National Guard and had just returned from a tour in Afghanistan. Castillo's family said he had hopes of becoming a police officer. Romero suggested Castillo was a protector.

"We're so proud of him. And we're proud of what he could've been and we're just so thankful that they caught these guys," said Romero.

Romero told Channel 2 this big break in the case was the news he and his family were waiting to hear since his brother-in-law was gunned down on the job.

"You know it's huge. I thought it was going to take months," said Romero, "I mean our prayers were answered."

Romero had the following message for the suspects: "They just need to pray for themselves at this point and try and seek salvation."

At last check on Wednesday afternoon, nobody had been officially charged with the murder of Gary Castillo. DeKalb Public Safety Director William Z. Miller indicated DeKalb police would continue the investigation into Castillo's homicide but there is still a lot of legwork to do.