Luis J. Castillo slain by sniper

LAWTON — Family members say Marine Lance Cpl. Luis J. Castillo was independent and an inspiration.

Castillo, 20, of Lawton, died Saturday from gunshot wounds he received while on patrol in Al-Anbar province, Iraq, the Defense Department said in a news release. Lawton is about 25 miles southwest of Kalamazoo.

“He wouldn’t let anybody do anything for him. He wanted to do it for himself,” his niece, Adelaida Suarez, 14, told The Detroit News for a story which ran today. “He was a very good role model.”

Castillo died in an Iraq hospital. It was his first tour in Iraq, where he had been since September.

He served with the Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Batallion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, based in Lansing.

He joined the Marines to save money for college and hoped to become a police officer, his family said.

Castillo was born in Mexico City and moved with his family to Michigan when he was 3 years old. He grew up in South Haven and later moved to Mattawan where he wrestled for his high school team before graduating in 2004.

Castillo was known for his love of dancing and his sense of humor, his family said.

From the Enquirer