Richmond woman "feeling defeated" after apparent stalker sighting

A Richmond woman is living on a knife-edge once more, after an apparent sighting close to her home of an alleged stalker warned by the courts to steer clear of her.

Koszima Mair said she’s “feeling defeated” and that her “rights to protection” are not being considered after a neighbour reported to police Tuesday that he spotted Jesse Castillo on their street.

Since the spring of last year, single mom-of-two Mair has allegedly been plagued by Castillo, who has no connection to her but apparently turns up randomly at her No. 1 Road home multiple times, either staring into her windows or trying the front door.

Castillo has been arrested and appeared in court several times over the last year or so, but continues to be granted bail, with the condition of staying well away from Mair, her home and her family.

Richmond RCMP told the Richmond News on Thursday that it is investigating the alleged “breach of recognizance,” but that “investigators are not quite at a stage where they can make an arrest.”

In the meantime, Mair is back to the dark place she often finds herself in, wondering if and when Castillo will return and if he will one day be successful in entering her home.

“I have been told by Crown and Victims Services not to let my guard down,” Mair told the News.

“He gets no consequences and I have to live in this way. I’m also at a loss as to why he hasn't been charged with criminal harassment>

“What he is doing fits that charge (so) why won't they?  I'm so frustrated and living like this is exhausting.”

The News reported in August how Castillo failed to appear in court for two previous breach of recognizance charges, despite being out on bail.

He was arrested soon after but was, yet again, released on bail with the aforementioned conditions, which he has allegedly flouted several times.

Castillo has allegedly been trying to get into Mair’s home for the last 16 months, for reasons unknown.

Mair previously told the News that she suspects Castillo has a serious mental health condition, but claimed that Richmond RCMP’s mental health unit had assessed him previously as “not being a danger to himself or others.”

She told the News how she lives every day in fear of the random stranger, sleeps with a hammer under her pillow and has her house surrounded by security cameras.

Mair said Castillo seems adamant that he either lives there or knows someone who does, and appears to be afraid of nothing – neither her dogs nor the imminent arrival of police.

On one occasion, he allegedly stood in her front yard, staring into her window while sharpening two pieces of concrete together.

Richmond RCMP has also told the News that it has created a “safety plan” with Mair that includes calling 911 if she sees Castillo.

According to police, calls received from Mair or connected to her home would be considered for a “priority response,” adding that each call would be assessed on the information provided, for example in progress versus a report made after the fact.