Jeneral M. Casteel was murdered in front of his wife and children on 10 February 1934 at his home, the old Drawdy place on Clarcona Road near Fairvilla. Newspaper articles in the Orlando Morning Sentinel between February 11-16 describe the horrible and heart-wrenching details of his murder by Herman Smith. Casteel’s wife Betty was originally held by the sheriff as she and Smith were said to have been intimate. Another newspaper article from 1938 reporting on the death of Casteel’s son in a hit and run accident, mentioned that Smith was tried and put to death. It does not mention Betty, so she must have been found innocent.
Some of the names mentioned in the articles about the murder include Alice Casteel, Della May Casteel, Della Mae Casteel, Horace Casteel, Joe Casteel, J. M. Casteel, Francis Casteel, Louis Casteel, Alma Casteel, Ruby Casteel, Betty Casteel, Albert Alman, Tracy Robinson, Noon Robinson, Richard Todd, Fred Boykin, Henry Lazurus, Adj. A. Walsh of the Salvation Army, Sheriff Harry Hand, Herman Smith, Russell Hall, Henry Hall, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wonsetler, Justice of the Peace W. A. Lee, J. N. Thomas, State Attorney Herman F. Mohr, Fairvilla, Clarcona, Winter Garden, and Apopka.
READ CWA Worker Is Beaten and Cut To Death. Sunday Sentinel and Reporter Star, Sunday February 11, 1934, page One top. Names mentioned in this article include J. M. Casteel, Herman Smith, Bettie Casteel, Sheriff Harry Hand, Clarcona, Fairvilla,
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READ CWA Work Is Beaten and Cut To Death, continued. Sunday Sentinel and Reporter Star, Sunday February 11, 1934, page Two.
READ Sheriff Says Smith Admits CWS Killing. Orlando Morning Sentinel, February 13, 1934, page One. Names mentioned in this article include: J. M. Casteel, Sheriff Harry Hand, Justice of the Peace W. A. Lee, J. M. Casteel, Herman.
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READ CWA Killing Inquest Today. Orlando Morning Sentinel, February 14, 1934, page Five. Two additional articles are also found in this part of the newspaper. One concerns the Orange County School System. Names mentioned include Superintendent Judson.
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READ Orlando Morning Sentinel, February 16, 1934, page Four – Editorial entitled “A Sordid Story.”
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READ Smith Charged With Murder In First Degree And Held Without Bail For Grand Jury. Orlando Morning Sentinel, 16 February 1934, page Two – Top. Update on the murder investigation and terrible effects on the children of the deceased in
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READ Smith Charged With Murder In First Degree And Held Without Bail For Grand Jury and Casteel Boy Returns Home. Orlando Morning Sentinel, February 16, 1934, page Two – Bottom. Update on the murder investigation and terrible effects on the children of the deceased. The article spanned the entire length of the page. Names mentioned in the article include Willie Casteel, Willie Castile, Apopka Highway, Deputy Sheriff George Fields, Deputy Sheriff George Jump, Justice of the Peace Thomas Swanner, Jeneral Castile, Jeneral Casteel, Lockhart, Herman Smith, Apopka Crate Company, Fairvilla, Frank Halley, Norman Stanley.
READ Casteel Descendants. Many of Jeneral Casteel’s descendants stayed in the area. Tragedy struck the family again just four years later when J. M. Casteel’s son Willie was killed by a hit and run driver in December 1938.
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READ Hit-Run Driver Kills Man On Apopka Road. Orlando Morning Sentinel December 19, 1938. Willie Casteel was killed on his way home from a jook joint in Apopka. He was the son of Jeneral Casteel who was murdered in a knife and gun fight at Lockhart by Herman Smith three years prior.
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Obituaries indicate that many of J. M. Casteel’s descendants or relatives remained in the Orlando area. Casteel family members mentioned in the obituaries include: Bill W. Casteel, Alice Casteel Reyes, Horace Casteel, Joe Casteel, Dollie Mae Blanco, Della Mae Sanders, Mary Robinson, Elois McNutt, Amerlee Casteel, Mary Casteel Robinson Bojkovsky, Alvis Reed, Mable Wallace, Lois Casteel, Amalee Estey, Richard William Casteel, Lois Jean Casteel.
J. M. General Casteel Murder 2/11/1934 p. One top
Sunday Sentinel and Reporter Star, Sunday 11 February 1934, page One, top. Names mentioned in this article include J. M. Casteel, Herman Smith,...
J. M. General Casteel Murder 2/11/1934 p. One bottom
Sunday Sentinel and Reporter Star, Sunday 11 February 1934, page One, bottom. Names mentioned in this article include J. M. Casteel, Herman Smith,...
J. M. General Casteel Murder 2/11/1934 p. Two
Sunday Sentinel and Reporter Star, Sunday 11 February 1934, page Two.
J. M. General Casteel Murder 2/12/1934 p. One
Orlando Morning Sentinel, 12 February 1934, page One. Names mentioned in this article include: J. M. Casteel, Fairvilla, Sheriff Harry Hand, Clarcona ...
J. M. General Casteel Murder 2/13/1934 p. One
Orlando Morning Sentinel, 13 February 1934, page One. Names mentioned in this article include: J. M. Casteel, Sheriff Harry Hand, Justice of the...
J. M. General Casteel Murder 2/13/1934 p. Two
Orlando Morning Sentinel, 13 February 1934, page Two. Names mentioned in this article include: J. M. Casteel, Sheriff Harry Hand, Justice of the...
J. M. General Casteel Murder 2/14/1934 p.5
Orlando Morning Sentinel, 14 February 1934, page Five. Names mentioned in this article about the further investigation into the murder of J....
J. M. "General" Casteel Murder 2/16/1934 p. Two top
Orlando Morning Sentinel, 16 February 1934, page Two - Top. Update on the murder investigation and terrible effects on the children of...
J. M. "General" Casteel Murder 2/16/1934 p. Two bottom
Orlando Morning Sentinel, 16 February 1934, page Two - bottom. Update on the murder investigation and terrible effects on the children of...
J. M. "General" Casteel Murder 2/16/1934 p.4
Orlando Morning Sentinel, 16 February 1934, page Four - Editorial entitled "A Sordid Story."
Willie Casteel / Castile Death 1938
This article appeared on the front page of the Orlando Morning Sentinel on 19 December 1938. Willie Casteel was struck by a hit...
Selected Obituaries and Funeral Notices -10 May 1960 pg. 10B
Selected Obituaries and Funeral Notices from the 10 May 1960 Orlando Sentinel page 10B. Names mentioned in these obituaries include Dr. Alton E....
Funeral Notices 22 June 1984
Funeral Notices published in the Orlando Sentinel on 22 June 1984, page 6B. Names mentioned in the Funeral Notices include Bertha W. Cheshire,...
Selected Obituaries 22 June 1984
Obituaries published in the Orlando Sentinel on 22 June 1984, page 6B. Names mentioned in the Obituaries include Joergan W. Roehlk, Beulah Roehlk,...
Obituaries appearing in the Orlando Sentinel indicate that many of J. M. Casteel's descendants may have remained in the Orlando area. Casteel family members mentioned in the obituaries include: Bill W. Casteel, Alice Casteel Reyes, Horace Casteel, Joe Casteel, Dollie Mae Blanco, Della Mae Sanders, Mary Robinson, Elois McNutt, Amerlee Casteel, Mary Casteel Robinson Bojkovsky, Alvis Reed, Mable Wallace, Lois Casteel, Amalee Estey, Richard William Casteel, Lois Jean Casteel.
