High court rejects new trial in death case

The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected a petition for a new trial in the 1995 murder of an 86-year-old Las Vegas woman.

William Castillo was convicted of breaking into Isabelle Berndt's Las Vegas home to rob her during the night after he and another individual helped reroof the house.

He told his girlfriend he had broken into a house, stolen several items, and hit the sleeping occupant with a tire iron before setting the house on fire.

Firefighters early that morning put out a blaze at Berndt's house. Coroners said she died of a severe blow to the head with something like a crowbar or tire iron.

Police were contacted by one of Castillo's co-workers who said he admitted the crime and provided details.

He was convicted at trial and sentenced to death by a jury which found four aggravating circumstances to support the decision.

Castillo sought to overturn the verdict arguing his lawyer was ineffective during trial and his original appeal and prosecutorial conduct for comments during final arguments.

The Supreme Court rejected those arguments along with the argument Castillo's lawyers didn't properly investigate the defendant's medical condition.

The court also rejected - as it has in every case where raised - the argument that the death sentence should be overturned because international law deems it cruel and unusual.