A 26-year old Latina, mother of 2, was the victim in Waukee murder-suicide

By Chris Higgins, Des Moines Register

Waukee, IA.- Waukee police have released the names of the two people who were found dead Thursday morning in an incident that has been ruled a murder-suicide.

Nelcybert Estafani Castillo Mata, 26, was the victim, according to a news release. She had been in a domestic relationship with Felix Baccam, 36, who was found dead with self-inflicted injuries in the 200 block of Southeast Boulder Court in Waukee, the release said.

Responders with the Waukee Police Department and the Waukee Fire Department were dispatched to the address around 7:27 a.m. Thursday morning. The Clive Police Department and the Division of Criminal Investigation assisted.

According to court records, Baccam was charged in Polk County with domestic assault against Castillo Mata in both 2019 and 2021. Both times, the state requested that a judge dismiss the case, but it was not immediately clear why based on online court records. The 2021 case was dismissed Feb. 15, and a no-contact order was lifted, two days before the murder-suicide was reported.

Baccam was also charged in Dallas County with domestic assault against Castillo Mata in 2022. A judge dismissed that case Feb. 17, with the dismissal order referencing a plea agreement, but further information was not available in online court records. The dismissal also ended the no-contact order.

Castillo Mata had filed in January to end the no-contact order in the Dallas County case, which a judge denied when she did not appear for a hearing, according to a court document.

The Polk County Attorney’s Office and Dallas County Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to messages Saturday afternoon.

Baccam also received a suspended prison sentence and was placed on probation after pleading guilty to charges in an alleged domestic violence case involving a different woman in 2014, and he completed probation in 2017, according to court records.

Resources for victims of domestic violence

In its news release, the Waukee Police Department expressed condolences families affected and listed resources for people experiencing domestic violence, including:

The Dallas County Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center — 1-800-400-4884

The National Domestic Violence Hotline — 800799-7233

The Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence — 515-244-8028

The Children and Families of Iowa Local Crisis Hotline — 515-243-6147

The department also said people can call their local law enforcement agency or 911.

Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.

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