Judge grants defense request for expert funds to inspect vehicle in shooting investigation

The 187th District Court granted a defense motion to provide funding for an expert to inspect a vehicle potentially containing evidentiary material after the Bexar County Crime Lab produced an inconclusive report.

The motion came in the case of State v. Robert Castillo, where prosecutors told the court a lab report filed last week was inconclusive and did not detect lead or copper residues due to conditions affecting the evidence. Defense counsel Kevin McClain asked for funds so an expert could perform a detailed inspection that might require partial disassembly of vehicle panels at the impound lot.

McClain told the court his investigator’s work would likely cost between $4,500 and $8,000 and said Castillo lacked resources to pay. Castillo testified under oath that he was unemployed and could not afford expert fees; the defense said the client had been terminated from recent employment and had no property to sell.

The state confirmed it had provided discovery and that a lab report had been uploaded, but prosecutors did not object to the defense’s request to inspect the vehicle. Judge Stephanie Boyd granted the defense’s motion for funding and directed counsel to file a formal motion specifying the amount requested and other administrative details for the clerk to process.

The judge instructed the parties to coordinate inspection logistics at the impound lot and allowed the defense expert to perform testing that might be partly destructive (panels unbolted and reinstalled) under court supervision. The court also noted the defense may submit a separate motion if additional resources are required.

A jury-trial date for related matters was set in July, and the court scheduled follow-up to confirm arrangements for the inspection and the expert’s work.