Name: Rhonda Casto.
Died: March 16, 2009.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Fall into a ravine.
Location: Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, USA.
Disability: Depression.
Details:
Rhonda’s boyfriend increased her life insurance; some months later, he took her on a hike, where she died from a fall into a ravine. He told police that she must have jumped into the ravine because she had depression; but Rhonda’s family say that even though she was on antidepressant and antianxiety medication, she would never have committed suicide.
Case Status:
Steve Nichols (Boyfriend), pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and coercion, sentenced to 3 years probation. Murder charges were dropped in favor of a plea bargain because mistakes by investigators cast doubt on the state’s case.
Sources:
Rhonda Casto’s Family and Friends Discuss Her Fatal Fall
Man pleads to homicide in girlfriend’s death along Eagle Creek trail
Investigating the death of Rhonda Casto