Husband Sentenced To Life Without Parole For Murder And Postmortem Abuse Of Estranged Wife

A Ventura County judge has sentenced Zarbab Ali to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the November 2022 killing of his estranged wife, Rachael Castillo, prosecutors said.

What Happened

According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, the fatal attack occurred on Nov. 10, 2022. Prosecutors say Ali confronted Castillo in a dark, narrow hallway of her sister’s Simi Valley apartment and stabbed her 11 times in the neck and chest. After the assault, Ali wrapped Castillo’s body, placed it in the trunk of his vehicle and drove to a remote area near Littlerock, where he buried her using a newly purchased shovel.

Postmortem Assault, Confession and Conviction

Prosecutors allege that Ali returned the following night, dug up Castillo’s remains and engaged in sexual conduct with her body—an act he later confessed to during police interrogation. Authorities found Castillo’s remains on Nov. 13, 2022, in a remote desert location near Littlerock after locating vehicle tracks and disturbed soil; a metal shovel was recovered nearby. Ali was arrested that same day.

Rachel Lynn Castillo/FacebookRachel Castillo

Legal Outcome

Ali previously pleaded guilty to unlawful mutilation and disinterment or an act of sexual contact with human remains and was convicted of murder. He was convicted on Nov. 21, 2025, and, as announced by Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko, was sentenced on Jan. 12 to life without the possibility of parole.

Victim Impact

Family members delivered emotional victim impact statements at sentencing, describing Castillo as a devoted mother of two, a sister and a friend who had recently started a master’s program at Pepperdine University and had plans for her and her children’s future. They asked the court to remember her life, not only the violence she suffered.

“Where any human being should feel shame, disgust, and loathing for what he has done, the defendant has shown no remorse,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell. Family members called Ali a coward and stressed the long-term harm to Castillo’s children.

The court’s life-without-parole sentence ensures Ali will not be released to endanger others again, prosecutors said.

Note: The facts above are drawn from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office and related court records. This report avoids gratuitous detail while accurately conveying the events, legal findings and family impact.