Man Charged With First-Degree Intentional Homicide in the Death of a Marshfield Woman

Friday, November 22nd, 2024 -- 12:01 PM

(Karen Madden, Marshfield News-Herald) A 38-year-old man was charged Thursday morning with first-degree intentional homicide in the death of a 28-year-old Marshfield woman.

According to Karen Madden with the Marshfield News-Herald, Devyn Castro-Gutierrez made an initial appearance from the Wood County Jail Thursday for the charge connected to the death of Blanca Jesenia Hernandez-Portocarrero.

Castro-Gutierrez, who is from Nicaragua, needed an interpreter for the court appearance. Wood County District Attorney Craig Lambert told Wood County Circuit Judge Greg Potter that Castro-Gutierrez told a detective that he had killed Hernandez-Portocarrero in self-defense when he confessed to killing her.

"We don't think the self-defense claim has any merit given the totality of the circumstances," Lambert said. Potter transferred the case to Wood County Circuit Judge Nicholas Brazeau Jr.

According to the criminal complaint, on the evening of Nov. 3, a caller reported a fire in the ditch at the intersection of Wisconsin 13 and Withy Road, in the Price County town of Hackett.

Officers who responded to the call found human remains on fire. On Nov 7, four days after the body was found, Castro-Gutierrez reported his roommate, Portocarrero, was missing.

Authorities were able to identify the remains found in Price County as Hernandez-Portocarrero through her fingerprints, according to documents. Castro-Gutierrez said Hernandez-Portocarrero had been missing since Nov. 3.

On Nov. 11, police interviewed Castro-Gutierrez. He said he struck Hernandez-Portocarrero in the neck and then held his arm on her neck until she stopped breathing, according to court documents.

He said it happened in the bedroom of the apartment he shared with Hernandez-Portocarrero. Castro-Gutierrez said he wrapped Hernandez-Portocarrero's body in a blanket and used zip ties to secure it.

He then put her in his car, which was in the parking lot of the apartment complex. Castro-Gutierrez said he drove about an hour, poured gasoline on the body and lit it on fire, according to court records.

If convicted of the charge, Castro-Gutierrez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. He is currently being held in the Wood County Jail on a $10 million cash bail.

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