An off-duty police superintendent in the Bahamas has been charged with murder following a deadly shooting involving an American worker outside a bar in Nassau.
Authorities identified the victim as 31-year-old Cody Castillo, a Florida man who had been working overseas. The shooting happened March 21 outside Da Plantation Bar & Grill on West Bay Street.
Investigators say the encounter began inside the business before tensions escalated and moved outside.
What started as a confrontation between bar patrons carried into the street, where the situation shifted rapidly.
Police accounts describe a moment when Castillo got into a vehicle during the dispute.
Officers said the vehicle was then driven toward the off-duty superintendent in a way they characterized as threatening.
Faced with that movement, the officer pulled his service weapon and fired.
Officials said he later told investigators he believed his life was in danger at that point.
The officer has since been identified as 51-year-old Royal Bahamas Police Force Superintendent Berneil Pinder. Authorities confirmed he was off duty when the shooting took place.
Officials moved quickly after the incident. A criminal investigation was opened, and Pinder was later charged with murder and brought before a court, according to a police statement.
National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said investigators gathered surveillance footage as part of their early response.
“My understanding is that the police responded to the scene, acquired CCTV footage, as they always do, and commenced an investigation,” Munroe said.
He outlined how the case could proceed depending on the findings gathered by investigators.
“If there’s evidence that criminal charges should be levied, they will do it. If, at the conclusion, they determine that they are uncomfortable in levying criminal charges, it goes to a coroner’s inquest,” he said.
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Officials have not released additional details about the specific actions taken by each person involved in the confrontation leading up to the shooting.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department confirmed that an American citizen had died in the incident and said federal officials are monitoring developments.
“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens,” the spokesperson said.
“Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time, we have no further comment.”
Castillo had been working in the Bahamas for Pike Electric, according to statements from his family.
He had relocated temporarily for work while maintaining ties to his home in Crawfordville, Florida.
Family members said he had been married for about a year and was preparing for a major milestone.
His wife, Mikayla, is expecting their first child, a boy due later this year.
“Cody was working to support his family … Then, in a moment that changed everything, Cody’s life was taken by senseless violence while he was working abroad,” a statement shared by relatives said.
Friends described him as focused on work and family life in the months leading up to the trip.
“He was a hard-working family man, a devoted husband, and he was so excited to become a father,” one friend said.
According to that account, Castillo had planned to return home soon. He was expected to fly back to Florida to celebrate his wedding anniversary before the shooting occurred.
Authorities in the Bahamas have not released a detailed timeline breaking down the final moments before the shots were fired.
In West Virginia, a separate case unfolded inside a residence where deputies say a crossbow was used during a violent argument between a man and his father.
Officials say Chase Fleming entered the home carrying a crossbow that was already loaded. A dispute began between the two men, and investigators say it quickly escalated.
During that confrontation, Fleming allegedly fired the weapon at close range.
The projectile struck his father in the face. Investigators said it entered below the eye and exited the back of the head. Despite the severity of the injuries, the victim survived.
“How the guy is still alive is beyond me, it’s really remarkable,” Sheriff Ross Mellinger said.
After the shooting, Fleming fled in a pickup truck, according to deputies.
Authorities said the vehicle was later found after a crash, which triggered a large-scale search effort.
Law enforcement teams deployed K-9 units and drones as they tracked the suspect through snow-covered terrain.
The search covered several miles across Jackson and Roane counties and continued into wooded areas and elevated ground.
Deputies eventually located Fleming in a remote location. He had taken cover beneath a rock formation on a ridge when officers found him.
Authorities said he was taken into custody without resistance after the extended search.
He was later transported to a hospital for observation before being processed for incarceration.
Fleming has been charged with malicious assault, and officials said additional charges remain possible as the case develops.
In Florida, investigators described a separate attack that took place inside a home involving a knife and an elderly victim.
Authorities say 45-year-old Jennifer Gill entered a kitchen where the victim was seated and retrieved a knife before the violence began.
Before using the weapon, deputies say she sprayed her stepfather in the eyes with soapy water, affecting his ability to see. Investigators said the attack that followed involved multiple strikes.
The victim suffered several injuries, including cuts to the back of the head, shoulder, and both hands. He was transported to a hospital by his wife, who is also Gill’s mother.
According to an arrest affidavit, Gill provided a series of statements that investigators described as inconsistent.
She told deputies the incident was tied to years of unresolved conflict. “It was a lot of years of things building up,” she said.
She also said, “Maybe I just acted on things,” while describing her actions.
Gill claimed the victim had previously harmed her and her mother, though deputies said she could not provide specific examples when asked.
Investigators said her account conflicted with statements from other witnesses.
When questioned about those differences, she declined to continue answering questions.
Deputies said she admitted to carrying out the stabbing during the interview.
She also made a statement about the weapon itself. “I wished the knives had been sharper,” she told investigators.
Authorities located Gill roughly a mile and a half away from the home after the incident.
She was taken into custody and booked into the Marion County Jail. Gill now faces a charge of attempted murder.
