Chicago man charged in Munster armed home invasion in which family was tied up, beaten

MUNSTER, Ind. (WLS) -- A Chicago man has been charged three months after five men broke into a home in Munster, Indiana, tied up the family inside at gunpoint, and robbed them.

Munster police said at about 1 p.m. on October 27, 2023, at least four armed men broke into a home in the 1400-block of Park West Circle. They bound the family inside with zip ties and duct tape, beat them and took items including money and jewelry, police said.

Surveillance video captured two vehicles fleeing the scene, one of which police said was at or near the home multiple times in the weeks before the home invasion. The vehicles were eventually found in Chicago on November 11 and November 14, where they were searched.

READ MORE: Family tied up, beaten in armed home invasion, robbery; Munster police seeking public's help

Munster police said evidence in one of those cars led them to 47-year-old Elkin Castillo, who they found had multiple warrants for his arrest in Cook County.

Police say Castillo had been arrested in June 2023 with a gun outside a church while he was out on bond for a previous Class X armed habitual criminal charge from an arrest in 2021. He was released again on electronic monitoring and allegedly cut off the ankle monitor and warrants were once again issued for his arrest.

Chicago police worked with Munster police to find Castillo, who was taken into custody in late November. He is now charged with 10 felonies for the Munster home invasion, including multiple counts of burglary, robbery, armed robbery and criminal confinement.

Castillo is currently being held in Cook County Jail on unrelated charges, police said.