Corona Man Held in Death of His Son, 12

A 42-year-old Corona man was arrested late Tuesday in connection with the fatal shooting of his 12-year-old son, authorities said.

Bill Ray Castleberry was booked on suspicion of murder and on Wednesday was being held without bail at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, said Riverside County Sheriff’s spokesman Dennis Gutierrez.

The boy, whose name was not released, was shot about noon Tuesday in the 11300 block of Dawson Canyon Road. The boy apparently resided with his father and another relative in a mobile home at the top of a desolate dirt road near Corona, officials said.

After the incident, Castleberry called police to report an accidental shooting, Gutierrez said.

Sheriff’s officials from the Jurupa Valley Station, the Sheriff Department’s Central Homicide Unit and paramedics from the Riverside County Fire Department all responded. Castleberry’s son died at the scene.

Gutierrez declined to comment about a motive for the shooting. The boy’s mother lives out of state and, as of late Wednesday, authorities had been unable to reach her, he said.

Neighbors said the boy was friendly and well-mannered.

“It’s just really quite shocking,” said neighbor Connie Castro. “He was a good kid who always played outside with my son. I really don’t know anything about the father.”