Remembering Barbara, Boyce, and Kevin Casteel

 

Story written by Kelly Casteel. The Block Parole Inc. Staff contributed to this story

A Night of Terror

In the early morning hours of September 19, 1986, Danny Desellems came to my parents’ house while my mother (Barbara, age 53), my father (Boyce, age 61) and my brother (Kevin, age 26) were asleep. We lived in a very small, trusting community where everyone knew their neighbors and no one locked their doors. Desellems pushed open the unlocked front door and walked through the living room, pouring gasoline onto the carpet. He also poured gasoline over my 23-month-old daughter’s stuffed toys and around her playpen. Desellems then placed a Molotov cocktail between my bedroom door and my daughter’s bedroom door, which was across the hall. There is no doubt he saw the crib and knew it was a child’s bedroom. Desellems then walked to the front door, lit a second Molotov cocktail, and threw it into the living room. Desellems exited the house and shut the front door. Desellems then went to the back of the house and attempted to throw a third Molotov cocktail through the back door to block the exit. Desellems then left the scene.

Upstairs, likely hearing the noise of someone in the house, my father got up and pulled on a pair of pants. Seconds later, the house burst into flames. My brother ran into my parents’ room after being alarmed by the explosion. He likely shut the door to prevent smoke from entering the room. My mother went to into the bathroom to retrieve a bathrobe as she likely believed they would need to get outside the house immediately. Sadly, there would be no hope to escape. My father was blown over by an explosion when he opened the door to look for a way out. Kevin sat helpless, crouched in the corner, with a blanket clenched in his fists pulled up over his head. My mother was in the adjacent bathroom, running cold water in the bathtub, preparing to place wet towels under the door to stop the fire and smoke from coming into the bathroom.

Since the house was burning from the inside out, no one heard the initial explosion or saw the fire immediately. The fire burned for 30 minutes until someone who made a wrong turn saw the fire from the road. He ran knocking on doors screaming “Fire!” and neighbors called the fire department. When the fire department arrived, the house was burning from the inside out. The two-inch-thick pine front door was glowing red from the heat. A half hour later, the fire was out. My father was found dead in the bedroom with the doorknob in his hand. My brother was found in the corner with pieces of blanket fabric in his clenched hands. My mother died on with on the bathroom floor clinging to the bathrobe I had bought her for Christmas. The water was still running.

It is impossible to imagine what my mother, father and brother went through in that upstairs bedroom, knowing they were going to die. They did not pass quietly in their sleep from smoke inhalation. There is no doubt they were fighting for their life. We will never know for how long.

Overwhelming Evidence Leads To Plea Deal

It didn’t take long for police to bring Desellems in for questioning. He had gotten in a fight with Kevin at a bar earlier that night. My brother left the bar after the fight and, as Kevin drove by the bar, witnesses saw Desellems making a gun with his fingers and shooting at my brother. Desellems also said in front of several witnesses, “I know where he [Kevin] lives, I know where that dude [Kevin] sleeps.” Desellems’ friend saw him driving towards our house and went after him. He caught up with Desellems and said, “Come on Danny, get the hell out of here, go home, tomorrow is another day.” Earlier that evening, Danny told that same friend, “If you hear anything about a fire, don’t say anything.”

Desellems was indicted on three counts of aggravated murder for the deaths of my parents and my brother, and one count of aggravated arson. Desellems was facing the death penalty and he knew the evidence was overwhelming. Rather than go to trial, Desellems accepted a plea deal. He pled guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter (accidental murder while committing a felony) for the murders of my parents and one count of murder for killing my brother. He received 5-25 years for each involuntary manslaughter charge and 15 years to life for the murder charge. Instead of sitting on death row, Desellems is regularly up for parole.

It could have been much worse. My daughter and I lived in the home at the time and should have been in the downstairs bedrooms. At the last moment, we decided to stay at a friend’s house after I fell asleep on their couch. In addition, Kevin’s two-year-old daughter, Cassandra, was supposed to be at the house that night. He had to work early the next day, so he and his ex-wife decided he should pick her up the following day. Cassandra never saw her father again. It is a miracle more people did not die that night at the hands of Daniel Desellems.

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UPDATE: Parole was granted for triple murderer Daniel Desellems and he will be released on August 16, 2021. Per Roberta’s Law, Desellems will be under supervision for five years. While we continue to believe Desellem’s release does not further the interests of justice, we hope he is rehabilitated and will commit no further crimes. Thank you to everyone who submitted a petition to oppose his parole. Please keep the Casteel family in your thoughts and prayers. Rest In Peace Barbara, Boyce, and Kevin Casteel. You will never be forgotten.