Trial set for August after suspect in ’22 murder reverses plea deal

FAYETTEVILLE — A Fayetteville man accused of killing and dismembering a woman backed out of a plea bargain at the last minute Monday in Washington County Circuit Court.

Allison Maria Castro, 28, disappeared in September 2022.

Kacey Kawika Jennings, 31, was arrested and charged with capital murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and theft of property, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.

Prosecutors say in court filings that Jennings shot Castro in the chest. After killing Castro, Jennings dismembered her body and disposed of her remains in various locations, they claim. Police later found one of Castro’s legs at an undisclosed location.

Jennings, wearing a dark suit with shackles underneath, appeared in court Monday along with his attorneys in anticipation of a plea deal, but when Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay asked Jennings if he wanted to plead guilty to the charges, he declined.

Lindsay gave Jennings time to confer with his attorneys outside the courtroom, and about 30 minutes later, Jennings and his defense team returned to the courtroom and told Lindsay that Jennings would not be pleading guilty.

Prosecuting Attorney Matt Durrett withdrew the plea offer, and Lindsay set the case for a three-week trial beginning Aug. 26. Lindsay said the deadline for any potential plea will be Aug. 26.

Capital murder, if convicted, is punishable by either death or life in prison without parole.

Jennings is being held at the Washington County Detention Center with no bond.

Castro’s family reported her missing Sept. 19, 2022, telling police Jennings and Castro had previously been in a relationship and lived together. She was entered as a missing person after a family member told police they were unable to contact her and were concerned for her safety, according to police.

Police went Sept. 19, 2022, to a residence and found Jennings, who was experiencing an apparent drug overdose, according to police.

Several documents were discovered at the residence indicating Jennings possibly killed Castro and disposed of her body, police said.

Jennings was arrested Sept. 26, 2022, after being released from a local medical facility.

Police searched an area of Beaver Lake for several days trying to find Castro’s body.

Jennings had gotten a temporary order of protection against Castro in mid-June 2022, claiming she physically attacked him and he was scared of her. Two days later, Jennings asked the order be dismissed.