It’s been more than 2 years since Merced cab driver was killed. Family ready for trial

A jury has been selected for a trial set to begin Friday in the 2015 death of a well-known taxi driver and former Dos Palos police officer.

Joseph E. Castrillo, 20, has pleaded not guilty to murder in connection with the slaying of 59-year-old Dean Barker, who was shot and killed in the front seat of his taxi cab Jan. 5, 2015. Castrillo is represented by Deputy Public Defender Michael Coughlin.

The trial will begin on Friday and is expected to run to the end of next week.

Barker’s son, Michael Barker, and another son plan to attend the trial. Barker’s family members have attended every court hearing in the case during the last the last two years.

“We’re looking forward to this just being over,” said Michael Barker, who was working security at the hospital the night his father was brought in. “It’s still affecting my family. We haven’t been able to tell my dad’s grandchildren. They think he left on a trip.”

Dean Barker grew up in Winton and had a difficult time, his family told the Sun-Star. His sons said he was forced to steal food as a child and wound up in trouble with the law as a young man.

Barker worked a series of different jobs throughout his life. He was a police officer in Dos Palos, a real estate agent, owned a roofing company for a few years, cooked for restaurants, delivered sandwiches, filled candy machines, anything to keep his family together.

District Attorney Larry Morse II and Deputy District Attorney Katie Gates will prosecute the case.

Castrillo, who police have said is a gang member, was arrested 10 days after Barker’s death. Merced police detectives have said that after the slaying, Castrillo told family members he planned to rob Barker but said he “panicked” and “messed up.”

A co-defendant, Dante Woods, pleaded no contest last year to voluntary manslaughter in the case.

A witness who is expected to testify during the trial told investigators that Castrillo was in Barker’s taxicab when he clubbed the victim in the head with a chrome revolver and then fired at least two shots, striking Barker in the head. The name of the witness is being withheld at the request of prosecutors who have said releasing that person’s name could jeopardize the witness and the witness’ family.

Prosecutors also have said another potential witness in the case was beaten to death in a gang-related attack in jail in 2015.

This story was originally published August 23, 2017 at 4:36 PM with the headline "It’s been more than 2 years since Merced cab driver was killed. Family ready for trial."