Russell County Sheriff identifies human remains as missing veteran

Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor announced Thursday that human remains discovered in Seale, AL belong to a local veteran reported missing by his family. Aldris Ramon Castillo disappeared July 4, 2019. Private property owners found a human skull in the wood line near County Road 18 on September 6, 2026.

The Alabama Department of Forensic Science positively identified Castillo using dental records from the VA. The manner of death is undetermined. “It didn’t appear that there was any type of injury to the skull. There wasn’t any type of gunshots or any of that to the head. We do feel comfortable about that,” Sheriff Taylor said.

Castillo’s remains were discovered about five miles from his home in Seale and about a quarter of a mile from where his vehicle was found shortly after he was reported missing. The 55-year-old’s family had reported that he “had some issues that he dealt with”, but the sheriff did not want to elaborate noting authorities do not suspect foul play at this time.

Sheriff Taylor said investigators also recovered clothing and a cell phone that belonged to the missing man. He said Castillo was ex-military who was working for a construction contractor at the time of his disappearance. The sheriff said he notified the family and “at least they have some closure in the sense that he’s been located. His remains have been located, and we feel like that we can at least give them that much.”