Jose Ulisses Duran, the Newman man convicted of killing an 11-year-old girl in 2004 has had his parole denied, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office reported.

Deputy District Attorney Jared T. Carrillo, who prosecuted the case in 2006, appeared at the March 6 hearing and argued for continued confinement based on the nature of Duran’s crime, and the continued risk to public safety. The Board of Parole Hearings agreed and denied parole for three years.

Duran, 39, was found guilty in 2006 of first-degree murder for the death of Doris Castro, 11.

On Dec. 1, 2004, 11-year-old Doris Castro was reported missing by her family. The following day Doris’ body was found in an irrigation canal just outside of town. 

When Doris was discovered, her jeans were unbuttoned and unzipped, and a belt was around her neck. The medical examiner later determined that Doris had been strangled until she was unconscious, then she was placed into the canal, where due to being unconscious, she breathed in water and drowned. 

Within two days of Doris’ disappearance detectives learned that then 20-year-old Duran, who at the time was dating Doris’ 17-year-old sister, had been kissing Doris for several weeks prior to her murder. 

Duran later admitted that he had strangled Doris and then used his belt to lower her into the water. In 2006, a Stanislaus County jury convicted Duran of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to 25-years-to-life in prison.

Prosecutor Carrillo argued against parole and for continued confinement based on Duran’s lack of insight into the commitment offense, that he still posed an undue risk of danger to the community, and his lack of any viable parole plans. The Board of Parole Hearings agreed and denied parole for a period of three years. 

This was Duran’s first parole hearing based on “youthful offender” eligibility. He will be scheduled for another hearing in three years.