Wood County Judge Rules Case of Marshfield Man Suspected of Choking a Woman to Death Can Continue

Wednesday, December 4th, 2024 -- 11:01 AM

(Karen Madden, Marshfield News-Herald) A Wood County judge ruled Tuesday the case against a 38-year-old Marshfield man suspected of choking a woman to death then taking her body to Price County and setting it on fire will move forward.

According to Karen Madden with the Marshfield News-Herald, Deyvin Castro-Gutierrez faces a charge of first-degree intentional homicide for the death of Blanca Jesenia Hernandez-Portocarrero, 28, of Marshfield.

Castro-Gutierrez's attorney, Laura Tritt, said Castro-Gutierrez was giving up his right to a preliminary hearing. A preliminary hearing is when the prosecution must prove that a crime probably was committed and the defendant probably committed it.

Tritt requested that the arraignment in the case, scheduled for Tuesday, be postponed. Wood County Circuit Judge Nicholas Brazeau Jr. found enough reason to continue the case and scheduled an arraignment for Jan. 6.

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, Hernandez-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 also told police he killed Hernandez-Portocarrero in self-defense, Wood County District Attorney Craig Lambert said at Castro-Gutierrez's initial appearance.

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 currently is being held in the Wood County Jail on a $10 million cash bail.

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