The Ashes of Waco

  • The Ashes of Waco digital collection
    The CONTENTdm site containing the digitized materials and the metadata records from the Dick J. Reavis Papers.
  • The Ashes of Waco website
    Portal page to the digital collection. Includes a transcribed interview with author Dick J. Reavis, and information about the author, the book, the papers, the grant, the digital collection and the Southwestern Writers Collection.
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January 26, 2009

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Claire

I preface my question, by offering condolences to family and friends. I cannot possibly know what his passing means to those who cared for him as I am an outsider, and because I was only a witness as far as the media of the time would allow me- and I feel it necessary to actually apologize for being curious even though I was affected deeply by the events that destroyed the Davidian compound. I want to understand, and no one has made me yet.

If it isn't too intrusive, I wonder what Castillo was incarcerated for? Every piece worked into the puzzle helps to give a human dimension to an event that failed us all in a horrific moment in modern history, no matter what our role was.

I struggle with being objective.

Thank you again for your work here.

Kurt Johnson

Jaime Castillo was one of eight survivors convicted of firearms charges.

There is a lot of controversy attending the trial itself.

From 'The Ashes of Waco', p. 288:

"Jaime Castillo...prosecutor Johnston argued, was guilty of attempted murder because he had shot agent Ballesteros in the thumb. 'How did I come up with that?' the prosecutor asked the jury. 'Castillo, by his own admission, is at the front door and his rifle jams. Does a rifle jam just holding it, or does it jam while the action is going and he's at the front door?' Johnston derived his conclusion from a statement that Castillo gave the Texas Rangers: 'Castillo stated that he never fired a weapon during the initial raid, nor on the day of the fire. Castillo admitted to having a rifle that became jammed when attempting to load it...Castillo stated he tried to chamber a round in his rifle, but that it jammed.'"

E.R.

I was a long time personal friend of Jaime Castillo, from even before he met Koresh. For the record; i want people to know, Jaime Castillo stated to me upon his release from prison "To be honest i don't know what happened during the initial raid. I was asleep when the initial raid took place". Jaime had always maintained his innocence of what he was convicted for. He did admit to have held (not shot) a rifle during the seige, but claimed it was for self defense, in fear for his life. So, basically he was convicted on Conspiracy charges for admitting to having "held" a riffle.

CHRISTINE

I WAS A FRIEND OF JAMIE CASTILLO BACK WHEN WE WERE IN 7TH GRADE AND LIVED IN EL MONTE , I REMEMBER HIM AS A REALLY SWEET AND KIND GUY , WE WERE FRIENDS IN SCHOOL AND WOULD OFTEN TALK ON THE PHONE I REMEMBER HIM ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT MUSIC AND HOW MUCH HE LOVED IT , HE WOULD OFTEN TELL ME LISTEN TO THIS SONG !BY THE TIME WE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WE LOST TOUCH BOTH WENT IN DIFFERANT DIRECTIONS DIFFERANT CROWDS, I WAS SADDEN MANY YEARS AGO WHEN SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT JAMIE HAD DIED IN WACO TEXAS IN THE COMPOUND , BUT I WAS EVEN MORE SADDEN TO FIND OUT THAT HE HADNT DIED IN WACO THAT HE HAD LIVED THROUGH IT AND HAD DID PRISON TIME AND JUST DIED LATE DECEMBER , IT WAS VERY SAD NEWS WHEN MY HUSBAND SHOWED ME THE PAPER , I WAS LIKE OH MY GOD HE HAD BEEN ALIVE ALL THIS TIME I SAY THIS BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AFTER HEARING ABOUT WACO I HAVE THOUGHT OF HIM OFTEN , I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HE WAS ALIVE AND IN PRISON I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEND HIM LETTER, ILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM , MY FRIEND FROM 7TH GRADE GOD BLESS HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS HIS OLD FRIEND FROM BAKER SCHOOL
CHRISTINE

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