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Farmington • A Roy man who killed his estranged wife in 2014 was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years to life in prison.
Second District Judge Glen Dawson also ordered Joe J. Castillo to pay $7,685 in restitution and recommended the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole give him credit for the 1,353 days he has spent behind bars pending resolution of the case.
The parole board will decide how much time Castillo serves in prison.
Castillo, 47, pleaded guilty in February to first-degree felony murder in the death of KayLynn Spackman. Under a plea deal, prosecutors dropped charges of domestic violence, child abuse and violating a protective order against him.
Castillo admitted in statement that was part of his plea that he fatally stabbed his 36-year-old wife on June 8, 2014, in the garage of her home near 3200 West and 1000 North in Layton.
The two had recently separated after more than 20 years of marriage, according to Layton police. They said the attack was witnessed by the couple's 17-year-old son, but their daughters, ages 8 and 4, were asleep at the time.
Castillo said in the statement that he went to his wife's home intending to end his life "with the use of a knife" in a trailer house parked next to the garage. However, he was discovered in the trailer and went into the garage with his son and his son's friend, according to the statement.
His wife appeared and the two argued "heatedly," Castillo said in his statement. He admitted losing control and stabbing Spackman repeatedly.
Spackman, 36, was rushed to Davis Hospital and Medical Center, where she died a short time later.
Dozens of people attended Tuesday's sentencing, some of them in support of Castillo and others there for Spackman.
Castillo's defense attorney, Barney Allen, said his client accepts full responsibility for what he did.
Allen also read a brief letter written by Castillo — who was too emotional to read it himself, according to the attorney — that offered his "deepest condolences" for the loss of Spackman because of his actions.
Spackman's grandfather, Barney Alverson, called his granddaughter a very loving mother. He said her son will graduate from college this spring without his mother there and Spackman also will not be a part of her daughters' lives.
"He needs to sit in jail and contemplate his murderous act," Alverson said of Castillo.
Spackman was director of information protection for the 75th Air Base Wing and installation at Hill Air Force Base.
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