Investigators say a 23-year-old man was found dead during a welfare check at a northeast Harris County home Monday night.
HOUSTON, TX — A 20-year-old Houston man has been charged with murder after his boyfriend was found stabbed to death inside a northeast Harris County home Monday, Oct. 5, authorities said. Investigators identified the suspect as Jaime Castillo and the victim as 23-year-old Jose Orozco.
Harris County sheriff’s deputies discovered Orozco during a welfare check at a residence in the 4400 block of Sandydale Lane, near John F. Kennedy Boulevard in the Aldine area. Orozco had suffered multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities believe the killing involved intimate partner violence.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez confirmed that Castillo and Orozco had been in a romantic relationship. Investigators interviewed members of both families, who said the men had been dating for several months to about a year.
According to information released by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, Oct. 7, authorities received a call from someone in Colorado who reported that his brother in the Houston area had told him he stabbed his partner. Investigators connected that report to the welfare check at Orozco’s home.
Deputies began searching for Castillo after identifying him as a suspect. Authorities said investigators made contact with him during the search, but he repeatedly provided incorrect information about his location.
Houston police eventually located and arrested Castillo in the 4300 block of Charriton Drive. Officers transferred him to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office homicide division for questioning. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office later accepted a murder charge, and Castillo was booked into the county jail.
Charging documents reviewed by the Houston Chronicle allege that Castillo stabbed Orozco with a knife. According to those records, Castillo allegedly told investigators that he began stabbing Orozco without an apparent reason. The documents indicate the couple had been watching television and had plans to go out before the fatal incident.
Investigators have not publicly established a motive. The allegations contained in the charging documents have not been proven in court. Castillo is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Gonzalez described the killing as another death connected to intimate partner violence and expressed condolences to Orozco’s family. Relatives also organized an online fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses. The family described Orozco as a joyful person whose death left loved ones grieving.
The case comes amid several recent killings in Harris County that authorities are investigating as domestic violence-related homicides. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Thomas Gilliland told the Houston Chronicle that the agency had responded to approximately 23 such homicides in 2026 as of Oct. 6.
At least three other killings investigated as domestic violence-related homicides had occurred in the county since Sept. 21, according to the Chronicle. One involved the fatal shooting of a woman and her boyfriend in north Houston on the same day Orozco was killed. Authorities charged the woman’s former boyfriend with capital murder in that separate case.
The recent deaths have brought renewed attention to efforts by Harris County officials to address family violence. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has announced a partnership with the county attorney’s office to expand protective-order assistance and related services. The initiative includes additional advocates to help people facing domestic violence.
Castillo remained in the Harris County Jail following his arrest. As of the latest reviewed reports, his bail had not been set, and no confirmed court appearance date was available. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Orozco’s death.
Author note: Last updated October 8, 2026.