Man faces charges in fatal beating in theft of pot

OAKLAND >> A man charged with murder in the beating death earlier this year of a 67-year- old man trying to steal some marijuana plants from the suspect’s front yard is scheduled to enter a plea Monday, according to court records and authorities. He is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail.

Danny L. Lockwood Jr., 42, is accused in the death of Jesus Castillo, a transient he did not know, authorities said.

He has admitted his involvement in the attack, but said he never intended to kill the victim, according to court documents.

The charge stems from a violent confrontation that happened at about 5:30 p.m. July 26 outside Lockwood’s home in the 1100 block of 98th Avenue.

According to court documents, Lockwood was growing marijuana plants in buckets in his yard and saw Castillo trying to steal two of them.

Lockwood chased and confronted Castillo and began punching him several times in the head, Oakland homicide investigator Officer Jose Barocio said in the documents. Castillo fell to the ground bleeding profusely but apparently still conscious. According to the documents, Lockwood picked up one of the plant buckets and hit Castillo in the head with it.

Castillo was taken to a hospital in critical condition with brain swelling and some broken facial bones, the documents say. He died Sept. 7 at a long-term care facility and an autopsy determined the death was a result of being beaten.

Lockwood was arrested the day of the attack but was not charged and was released pending further investigation. He was re-arrested Sept. 22 after the autopsy results and was formally charged Sept. 23.