Bonus Episode: Halloween Special - The (True Crime) Case of Juan Soldado

Like many cities, Tijuana is rich with folklore and eerie legends. One such tale is the story of Juan Castillo Morales, also known as Juan Soldado, the unofficial patron saint of migrants. In 1938, Castillo Morales, a military private stationed in Tijuana, was convicted of the rape and murder of 8-year-old Olga Camacho, a girl who lived near the military barracks. However, many believe he was wrongfully accused. According to local folklore, his spirit still wanders the old cemetery in downtown Tijuana, where some claim to have heard him proclaiming his innocence, among other supernatural occurrences. We delve deep into this folktale to uncover the truth behind the legend — the historical context, the people involved and the story of how he became known as the patron saint of migrants. To help distinguish fact from fiction, we spoke with Fernando Escobedo , a historian from Tijuana who has extensively researched the city's past. His work sheds new light on this enigmatic case through the testimony of Fausto Matus, a possible witness to the crime. Don’t miss this episode, where we unravel the mystery surrounding this iconic legend from Tijuana. Sources: “ Religiosidad Popular en Tijuana, el culto de Juan Soldado” by Gabriel Rivera and Jose Saldaña “Juan Soldado: Rapist, Murderer, Martyr, Saint” by Paul J. Vanderwood Fernando Escobedo books, articles and contributions Caesar. La ensalada más famosa del mundo. World’s Famous Salad; 100 años. Thirty-Something Things You didn't know about Tijuana. About Streets: Perspectives on Urbanism, Architecture, and Placemaking Social media and contact From KPBS, “Port of Entry” tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at Facebook : Instagram: Support our show at Search “Port of Entry” in the gifts section to get our sling bag as a thank-you gift. If your business or nonprofit wants to sponsor our show, email corporatesupport@kpbs.org. Text or call the "Port of Entry" team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show or email us at podcasts@kpbs.org. Credits Hosts : Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González Writer/Producer: Julio C. Ortiz Franco Technical Producer/Sound Designer: Adrian Villalobos Editor : Chrissy Nguyen Episodes translated by: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco Director of Audio Programming and Operations: Lisa Morrisette-Zapp

You can listen to Bonus Episode: Halloween Special - The (True Crime) Case of Juan Soldado online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Bonus Episode: Halloween Special - The (True Crime) Case of Juan Soldado is an episode from Port of Entry by KPBS.

This episode is 01:02:50 long.

This episode was published on Oct 30, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Port of Entry when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.