Northern California man convicted of beheading girlfriend with a sword during argument last year

A Northern California man has been found guilty of first-degree murder for beheading his girlfriend with a samurai sword on a city street last year. A San Mateo County jury returned the verdict Monday against 34-year-old Jose Rafael Solano Landaeta. On Tuesday, the panel also found that there were “aggravating factors” that could affect Solano's sentence. Karina Castro was killed outside her apartment in San Carlos on Sept. 8, 2022. She was the 27-year-old mother of the defendant's then-1-year-old daughter. During the three-week trial, the defense argued that the defendant is stricken with schizophrenia, was not taking his medication and attacked Castro after she attacked him with a small knife. Prosecutors contended he was motivated by vengeance.