Transcript

Mother stabbed to death by ex-husband after donating her kidney

From True Crime News · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 38 min · 6,535 words · 157 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Mother stabbed to death by ex-husband after donating her kidney", an episode of True Crime News published January 18, 2026 (38 min, about 6,535 words). It mentions 9 people, works and ideas, including Renee Pagel, Crime Watch Daily, Michael Paggel, Aamir D Clerk, Ramon Leandre Castillo.

What this episode is about

Renee Pagel, a dedicated teacher and mother of three, is brutally murdered by her ex-husband shortly after selflessly donating her kidney to save a stranger's life. The investigation reveals a horrific scene in her home, prompting questions about motives and domestic violence as the search for justice begins.

Key takeaways

  • Renee Pagel's selflessness was met with unimaginable betrayal—highlighting the fine line between love and rage.
  • In a world where kindness can lead to tragedy, who can we trust when the abuser is the one we love?
  • A divorce gone wrong revealed deeper issues—sometimes, rage is born from desperation for control.
  • Renee's life-saving act serves as a stark reminder that heroism doesn’t shield one from hidden dangers.
  • Tragic irony: a woman devoted to saving others lost her life to a partner who refused to cherish her.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Crime Watch Daily, Renee Pagel, Michael Paggel, Chris Hansen
  2. – 10:00: Renee Pagel, Crime Watch Daily
  3. – 15:00: Renee Pagel, Michael Paggel
  4. – 20:00: Michael Paggel, Renee Pagel, Michigan State Police, Crime Watch Daily
  5. – 25:00: Aamir D Clerk, Crime Watch Daily
  6. – 30:00: Ramon Leandre Castillo
  7. – 38:25: Aamir D Clerk

Notable quotes from "Mother stabbed to death by ex-husband after donating her kidney"

  • A beloved teacher donates her own kidney to save a stranger's life only to have her own life snuffed out.
    about Renee Pagel · at
  • Today,, how, she, escaped, her, abuser, as, we launch a special new crusade. It's time to stop the abuse. Crime Watch Daily is getting involved and we need your help to end domestic violence right, now.
    about Crime Watch Daily · at
  • Rene's, friends, did, share, these, thoughts with police immediately after the murder. We spoke with Rene's father and her stepmother and friends and the common theme from all…
    about Shelby County Sheriff's Department · at
  • Michigan, State, Police, did, look, into Michael's claims, but say they saw nothing rising to the level that would require action. Either way, in court documents, Mike says he had to move away.
    about Michigan State Police · at
  • Loved, ones, of, Renee, Pagel, say, Michael Paggel has moved several times since the murder of his aranged wife. We're going to his home here to see if he wants to respond to those allegations against.
    about Michael Paggel · at
  • Amir, D, Clerk, cheated, death, by, a, single cimeter.
    about Aamir D Clerk · at
  • Ramon, Castillo, was, convicted, of attempted murder and sentenced to 15 years, but that's little comfort to anyone.
    about Ramon Leandre Castillo · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Renee Pagel — Person · Primary victim / central subject of first segment · 8 mentions · first at
    Her kidney donation and subsequent murder are the core of the Michigan homicide investigation covered in the episode.
  • Michael Paggel — Person · Estranged husband; primary person of interest in homicide investigation · 8 mentions · first at
    Friends/family and investigators focus on him due to contentious divorce, alleged behavior, and lack of cooperation; he denies involvement and claims an alibi.
  • Aamir D Clerk — Person · Survivor / main subject of second segment · 4 mentions · first at
    Her account of severe domestic violence and survival (shot in head) anchors the episode's anti-abuse message and awareness campaign.
  • Ramon Leandre Castillo — Person · Abuser / perpetrator in second segment (domestic violence case) · 1 mention · first at
    Identified as the violent ex-boyfriend who assaulted and later shot Aamir D Clerk; convicted of attempted murder and sentenced.
  • Chris Hansen — Person · Host / on-air presenter · 2 mentions · first at
    He introduces the stories, frames the investigation, and conducts on-camera questioning within the Crime Watch Daily segment.
    Welcome, to, Crime, Watch, Daily,, everyone.
  • Elizabeth Smart — Person · Referenced correspondent / on-air personality (brief mention) · 1 mention · first at
    Named in a quick montage of Crime Watch Daily correspondents; not central to either case narrative in this transcript excerpt.
    I'm, Michelle, Sigona, from, Crime, Watch Daily. This Elizabeth, Smart, from, Crime, Watch, Daily.

Companies & orgs

  • Crime Watch Daily — Company · Business focus · 7 mentions · first at
    The show is the platform for discussing the cases and launching campaigns against domestic violence.
  • Shelby County Sheriff's Department — Company · Referenced organization · 3 mentions
    Handled the investigation into Renee Pagel's murder.
  • Michigan State Police — Company · Referenced organization · 2 mentions · first at
    Investigated claims of harassment by Michael Pagel against Renee's friends.

Full transcript with timestamps

I'm Chris Hansen right now on Crime Watch Daily from here in New York City. A beloved teacher donates her own kidney to save a stranger's life only to have her own life snuffed out.

Murder., She, had, to, go. When, police, arrive, at, her, home,, it's, a scene of pure horror.

She, had, been, stabbed, multiple, times, in her own bed. There was rage in that room. Who wanted Renee Pagel dead and why so viciously?

There's, a, gentleman, that, lives, next door. A, neighbor, or, someone, much, closer, like her aranged husband?

What, would, have, been, Michael's, motive, to kill Renee? But, cops, say, he, has, an, alibi.

OJ, had, an, alibi, as, well. Today,, numerous, a, night, on, the, case, in Michigan seeking justice for Renee.

Did, you, kill, your, ex-wife? Then, one, of, the, bravest, survivors, you'll ever meet. Shot in the head, literally one centimeter from death at the hands of her violent ex.

I, felt, like, this, was, it., He, got, me. Today,, how, she, escaped, her, abuser, as, we launch a special new crusade. It's time to stop the abuse. Crime Watch Daily is getting involved and we need your help to end domestic violence

right, now. Go., Let's, go. Jason, Mata, with, Crime, Watch, Daily. I'm, Michelle, Sigona, from, Crime, Watch Daily. This

Elizabeth, Smart, from, Crime, Watch, Daily. It's, Anna, Garcia, from, Crime, Watch, Daily. You got anything to say?

Is, Crime, Watch, Daily? What, do, you, mean?, You, don't, know?, She's 13. You're, running, away, now?

Welcome, to, Crime, Watch, Daily,, everyone. I'm Chris Hansen. If you look up selfless in the dictionary, you might just find a picture of Michigan mother of three, Renee Pagel. But sadly, just days after she gave the gift of life to a man she barely knew, someone would take her life. Our Nurissite is in Michigan now with the details.

In, sickness, and, in, health, or, till, death do us part. I, would, say, there, was, rage, in, that, room.

Did, a, woman, known, for, giving, life, to others have her own taken by the person who once swore to cherish her forever?

He, decided, he'd, have, to, go, to, plan, B. Plan, B, being, murder., She, had, to, go. She was a teacher and nurse practitioner by trade, but Bnee Pagel was much more than just her titles.

What, just, warms, your, heart, when, you think of her? She, was, so, funny., She, was, always slapping her knee, telling a joke, kind just somebody you wanted to be around.

And, that's, far, from, just, one, person's opinion. Everybody, who, met, Renee,, they, loved, her. My sisters and I used to jokingly say Renee was out to save the world. Her passion was saving the underdog. She would give you the shirt off of her back and a whole lot more than that. When she learned that the father of one of her students was suffering from kidney failure, Renee, who lost her own mother to the disease, donated one of her kidneys.

What, did, this, mean, to, your, family?, It meant he would have a life, you know not hooked up to a machine. We'd be able to do things. We'd have our dad.

Renee, gave, you, that. Yes., Renee, gave, us, that., Renee, gave, my dad a second chance at life.

And, if, she'd, do, that, for, a, virtual stranger, you can imagine what she'd do for her three kids.

She, loved, her, children, fiercely., She loved them so much. But Rene's friends say when it came to the children's father, Rene's husband Michael, things were a little more complicated.

What, was, your, initial, impression, of Michael Paggel? He, was, not, as, outgoing, as, Renee., He seemed to be a little bit more in the shadows where Renee was everybody's best friend.

And, after, a, few, years, of, marriage,, the disparities between the two became harder to ignore.

When, did, the, first, crack, start, to, begin? I want to say about 2 years after Renee had their twins, they had had a pretty significant fight. She actually spent the night at my house and that was the first time ever.

But, reportedly, it, wouldn't, be, the, last. I, talked, to, Renee, on, the, phone, every single day and we talked at length about her relationship with Mike. Renee was a little concerned that he had some anger issues. She actually sent him to a physician to have his testosterone checked because she felt like it was not in balance and perhaps that was driving his anger. Crime Watch Daily has not been able to independently verify Rene's friend's claims about their marriage. But according to her friends, Mike's behavior only got more troubling as time went on.

She, had, discovered, that, he, was, taping her phone conversations. That's, weird.

That, was, very, weird., That, was, the tipping point for me where I said to Renee, you know, this is very disturbing. This would be a deal breaker for me.

Eventually,, it's, Michael, who, files, for divorce. Well,, he, served, her, with, divorce, papers and I believe that was in March. In the summer, he moved out.

But, the, couple's, problems, didn't, exactly go away when Mike did. What, were, the, points, of, contention, in their divorce? What were they arguing about? He wanted full custody of the children. And there was absolutely no way on this planet was Renee going to allow that to happen. And then he also wanted the house and he wanted her to pay him alimony. Instead, what happened?

The, judge, um, directed, Mike, to, get, a full-time job. They were going to be splitting custody with Renee having primary custody.

It, should, be, noted, that, in, Michigan, where the divorce took place, family court records are sealed. So, we could not review the documents ourselves. But Rene's loved ones say that was the judge's decision and that it left Mike fuming.

She, said,, "Chris,, he's, so, angry., He expected the house, the kids, and $2,000 a month."

And, according, to, statements, given, to authorities, these were the thoughts racing through Rene's head during one of the most vulnerable times in her life. She was even worried that he was going to potentially come to the hospital while she was donating this kidney and do something to her.

Renee, did, make, it, out, of, the, hospital. Okay. But her friend Chris says that on the night she went to see her kids at Mike's, all those fears came rushing back with a vengeance. She's holding her side out of the hospital and he had the three-year-old on his hip. Mike threw the three-year-old at her and she fell to the ground. She believed that that was an attempt on her life. She was so scared. She was freaked out. She called me that night just absolutely horrified and freaked out. Crime Watch Daily did reach out to Michael for his side of the story. Through his attorney, he denied it ever happened. But Rene's friend Joyce says she also got a disturbing call from Renee that same night.

She, had, begged, me, to, spend, the, night with her, which was an odd request. Um I couldn't because I I had a commitment the next day on a Saturday all day and I absolutely could not.

Who, knows, how, things, would, have, turned out if she could have, but the next day August 5th, Renee suddenly wasn't there.

She, was, supposed, to, go, with, a, friend, of ours to a craft bazaar and she never showed up. After several unreturned phone calls from friends and family Rene's father went to check on her. And after that, lights and sirens.

So,, when, you, walk, into, the, home,, what, do you find? What do you see? And who's there?

We, were, greeted, by, her, her, parents, who uh appeared very upset at this point. Uh I don't think they really knew what was going on.

That's, when, they, led, investigators, back to Rene's bedroom. The bedroom itself did not look out of normal except for what we found with Renee

which, would, be, that, she, had, been, stabbed multiple times in her own bed. A, violent, end, for, a, woman, who, was anything but. And for the people who knew Renee best, there was little mystery to the murder.

What, went, through, your, mind?, What questions did you have? My, question, was, is, when, are, you, going, to arrest Mike? Coming up

the, last, words, she, spoke, to, me, were, "Joysicy, I can't die. I can't let that get my kids in my house."

Did, Renee, Paggel, predict, her, own, death? Or there, was, a, gentleman, that, lived, next door?

Does, the, evidence, point, elsewhere? We, return, now, with, more, on, the, murder mystery of a Michigan mother of three. Here's Nerissa Knight. Chris Renee Pagel was the type of person who would do anything for you. In fact, here at this hospital, she had just given away her kidney to the father of one of her students. Then days later, she would be found murdered. There were no signs of trouble in the kitchen, nothing out of place in the living room. But what investigators found in Renee Pagel's bedroom was the stuff of nightmares. I would say there was uh rage in that room.

The, 41-year-old, mother, of, three, has, been stabbed multiple times while lying in her own bed, recovering from a kidney donation.

It, was, a, bloody, scene. It, was, a, bloody, scene., She, did, put, up, a fight. The the struggle in my opinion, I mean, there was blankets everywhere. There was a lamp knocked over, a clock knocked over. Um, and she had defensive wounds on her hands and on her feet uh from obviously trying to block stabbing motions of the suspect. Unfortunately officers weren't able to find any physical evidence pointing to her killer, but Sergeant EJ Johnson of the Kent County Sheriff's Department says the nature of the attack itself speaks volumes.

This, wasn't, a, burglary., No, one, had, taken anything. So, you know, in my experience of 21 years being an officer, um it was somebody close. Somebody had something out for Renee.

And, if, you, believe, Rene's, friends,, there was only one person who fit that bill.

When, I, heard, Chris, Rene's, dead,, I, knew he killed her. That, he, being, Rene's, aranged, husband, Michael Pagel. Even before you found out she was stabbed, even before you found out the manner of her death, you thought he killed.

I, knew., I, held, out the very least bit of hope for her kid's sake that it had been a complication from the surgery, but I knew he did it.

Of, course,, that's, just, speculation,, and Michael vehemently denies having anything to do with the death of his aranged wife. But Rene's loved ones say their belief is based on information they got directly from Renee just before she was killed.

So, just, hours, before, she, had, died,, she was very agitated. The last words she spoke to me were, "Joysicy, I can't die. I can't let that get my kids in my house." Those are the very last words she ever spoke to me.

Rene's, friends, did, share, these, thoughts with police immediately after the murder. We spoke with Rene's father and her stepmother and friends and the common theme from all them was she was going through a divorce with her husband Michael and that uh it was pretty uh contentious. I mean the the the divorce had a lot of issues. At this point the family and the friends were pointing at Michael as a potential suspect.

But, even, if, they, were,, police, always start with the people closest to the victim. So just hours after the gruesome discovery, it was time to pay Michael a visit.

We, went, made, contact, with, uh, Mr., Pagel at his residence and immediately uh wanted an attorney.

So, he, lawyered, up, as, soon, as, you, went, to him. Immediately., Yes. Which, was, his, right., But, Sergeant Johnson says it also put the focus of the investigation directly on Mike.

He, didn't, want, to, know, anything, about her condition. Didn't want to know what happened. just stated that he would prefer to talk to an attorney.

So,, he, wasn't, broken, down., He, wasn't grieving the mother of his children being dead.

No,, not, at, all. But, Michael's, attorney, tells, us, police know his client is innocent and that the only reason they're focused on Michael is because they have no other leads. He adds that Michael has an absolute airtight alibi and that the reason Mike hasn't gone public himself is because the media is out to destroy him, even forcing him to move away from home. So then, are Rene's loved ones letting raw emotion get the better of them? And was there anyone else who might have wanted Renee dead? Have you identified anyone else who wanted Renee Pagel out of the way? Or

Renee, had, no, enemies, at, all., And, there were a few names that have come up. Um for instance, there was a gentleman that lived in the pole barn. It was actually in an apartment next door. He was there during this incident. We interviewed him. He has jumped through every hoop that we asked and has been completely cooperative.

And, he, says, every, other, person, of interest they've questioned has done the same.

So,, everyone, else, has, been, clear that, we, know, of., Yes. everyone that is but Michael Paggel.

We, definitely, think, that, Michael, is, a definite person of interest and many things point in his direction.

He, hasn't, been, cleared, yet., Um, so, we're keeping everything open. Um but at this point, you know, in a divorce that, you know, somebody's not getting what they want, that could be a potential motive um in something like this. Uh so yeah our crosshairs are on him. And Rene's friends say the reason why is obvious.

What, was, Michael's, motive?, What, would have been Michael's motive to kill Renee?

Well,, it's, extremely, clear, to, me., I think when the judge said, "Mr. Paggel you're, going to, have, to, get, a, better paying job." He decided he'd have to go to plan B because he wanted everything.

Plan, Plan, B, being murder., She, had, to, go. And as for Michael's alibi, his attorney tells Crime Watch Daily that Michael was at his mother's house miles away that entire evening, as were all of his children. Still, Rene's friends question how true that is.

Well,, OJ, had, an, alibi, as, well., So,, from my understanding, he hasn't exactly been cooperative with the police. I would love for his mother to take a lie detector test. Perhaps he should too. If he is so innocent, why not try to clear your name?

Coming, up,, with, accusations, swirling,, we go looking for answers from the one man refusing to talk to police.

Excuse, me., Excuse, me,, sir. Michigan, mother, of, three,, Renee, Pagel, was recovering from kidney donation when she was viciously stabbed to death in her bedroom. Investigators say their crosshairs are aimed right at her aranged husband. So, our Nerissa Knight attempted to get his side of the story.

Someone, took, Renee, Pagel's, life, in, the most savage of ways. Now, Rene's friends and family are keeping her memory alive in the only way they can.

We've, put, up, posters., We've, established a website for her. We've held candlelight vigils. and we've gotten together as friends just to share stories.

But, they've, also, been, accused, of, going too far in their efforts by very publicly and forcibly pointing the finger at Rene's aranged husband Michael Paggel. In fact, while he won't talk to police about anything related to Rene's murder, Mike has complained to the Michigan State Police about what he calls harassment from Rene's friends. So, Michael Paggel has accused you of stalking him, of harassing him

and, he, did., Why?, I, think, he, just, wants this to all go away. He I think he wants everybody to forget that it ever happened.

And, as, for, what, friends, say, Paggel considers harassment well,, apparently,, um,, Mr., Pagel, was getting scripture cards in the mail. So apparently his family felt that he was being harassed. And I heard that he even had to move out of the area because he felt so harassed by these awful scripture cards.

Michigan, State, Police, did, look, into Michael's claims, but say they saw nothing rising to the level that would require action. Either way, in court documents, Mike says he had to move away to protect his kids from constant accusations and media scrutiny.

He, has, retained, an, attorney,, which, he has a right to do. He has not offered any uh help. He has never called. He has never inquired, offered any assistance. Uh we have gotten nothing uh from him. Uh and you know, the mother of his three children.

That's, pretty, bold. Well,, it's, pretty, bold,, but, what, I, find odd too is, you know, his family members have not really reached out or or helped us uh either, which is kind of weird. And with that in mind, we decided to try once more to get Michael's side of the story. Not from his attorney, but from the man himself.

Loved, ones, of, Renee, Pagel, say, Michael Paggel has moved several times since the murder of his aranged wife. We're going to his home here to see if he wants to respond to those allegations against him.

Hi,, how, are, you?, Is, Mr., Pagel, home? Um,, no,, he's, at, work, right, now. No luck knocking on his door. So, we tried to reach him by other means.

We're, calling, now, to, see, if, Michael Paggel wants to respond to the allegations against him.

Your, call, has, been, forwarded, to, an automated voice messaging system. No, answer., The, phone, is, going, straight to voicemail.

Then,, just, as, we, were, preparing, to leave, Michael pulled up and quickly hopped into another car.

Excuse, me,, sir., Hi. Michael, do you want to just tell just answer just one question? Just one question, sir. Michael, answer one question. Just tell us, did you kill your ex-wife?

Through, his, attorney,, Michael, Paggel denies having anything to do with Rene's murder and says he's just as worried as everyone else that there's a killer out there. He goes on to say he even fears for his own safety.

Do, you, think, you've, already, found, who killed Renee? It's very possible that we have.

Is, Michael, Paggel, still, a, suspect? He, is, definitely, a, person, of, interest and has not been cleared.

The, crosshairs, in, the, investigation, are on him. They're, definitely, focused, on, him.

But, police, say, they, still, need, that, one piece of hard evidence or someone with inside knowledge to speak up.

So, would, you, say, this, case, is, unsolved or would you say this case is unproven? It is unpunished but in my mind, it's solved.

But, until, police, solve, this, case,, Rene's friends say they'll do everything they can to keep fighting for closure.

Many, people, say, that, it's, been, 11, years. Maybe it's just best to let it go at this point. What do you say to that?

No., I, I, say, no., We, need, the, truth, to come out and we need justice. As you can see, Rene's friends are clearly not going to give up their fight for justice. And even though police named her a strange husband, a person of interest, he has never been arrested and denies having anything to do with her murder. So, what now? We brought in former prosecutor and criminal defense attorney Bob Bianke to answer some questions and clear some things up. Bob first of all, as you see, Rene's friends are pretty convinced that Mike had something to do with Rene's murder. Why do you think he's not been charged?

Chris, here's the important thing. As a lawyer, as a prosecutor, you have to prove your case beyond a reasonable doubt based on the rules provided to you by the court. Two pieces of information that they're relying upon, the jury will never hear. You cannot comment on a defendant's failure to speak to the police under the fifth amendment or his refusal to cooperate. And secondly there's an evidence rule that says a victim's statements about impending doom cannot be admitted. Why? under the same fifth amendment that says you have a right to cross-examine statements used against you in a trial. So that only leaves the prosecutor with the motive because there's no other physical evidence connecting him to the scene. I actually had a case where somebody was murdered and all the detectives and investigators went right towards it's got to be the husband got a negative ruling in a divorce action. The divorce

papers were all over the husband's house. He asserted his right to remain silent. Everybody was in the red that he was the person that did it. We interviewed a kid who on two occasions gave information. He was just a basic witness. He wasn't a suspect in the case, but a couple of us took a look at the statements of that kid and were like, there's something squirly about this kid. At the end of the day, he gave a confession and is serving life in jail. That husband, who was being considered a suspect, in fact, was not the murderer.

After, Rene's, death,, Mike, got, full custody of the kids. And we're told while investigating the story, it appears they're on his side.

Well,, I, mean,, is, not, convicted, of, a crime. He has not been charged with the crime. And so there's really nothing a court can do except give custody back to the biological parent.

Bob, Yiani,, as, always,, thank, you, for, your insights into this case. Appreciate it. And if you know anything about Rene's death, it's time to stop protecting people and let the truth come out. You can submit a tip anonymously at crimewatchdaily.com or call the Silent Observer hotline. That number is 1-8667742345. Up next, a beautiful young woman from the Bronx thought she had met Mr. Wright until he turned into her worst nightmare.

He, tried, to, force, me, to, have, sex, with him. How, she, finally, escaped, her, abuser and the moment he came back for revenge.

That, would, have, been, the, bullet, that killed me. Coming, up. Nearly every week here on Crime Watch Daily, we cover dangerous and often deadly cases of domestic violence. And we hear a similar theme. I just couldn't find a way to get out. Well, today in an emotional new interview, one survivor reles her violent attack, hoping it will empower someone out there right now who's living in fear. Here's Pat Lama.

Amir, D, Clerk, cheated, death, by, a, single cimeter. I felt like this was it. I felt like he he got me.

Her, own, devastating, Bronx, tale, is, one, of terror, domination, raging violence, and a bullet to the head.

I, grabbed, myself, like, this., This, was like I I threw myself on the floor and I I just I shout, "Help, help, help help."

It's, one, of, the, most, horrendous, cases, of domestic abuse. All of it at the hands of someone who professed his undying devotion.

Everything, I, did, was, because, I, love, you. And, against, all, odds,, Aamir, D, clerk lives to tell of the physical horror of the past, the emotional scars of the present.

I, wake, up, thinking, the, whole, world, is about to end and, her, courageous, goals, for, the, future.

I, didn't, let, that, stop, my, life., Like, I had to continue. Evir D Clerk has more than a deep bond with her close girlfriends.

I, call, her, a, sister., That's, what, she, is to me. Sister. I, think, in, the, 10, 12, years, that, we, have knowing each other. We have never had an argument. We just clicked as soon as we like met.

And, no, doubt, her, vibrant, personality, and stunning looks were a magnet for male attention. One man in particular was Ramon Leandre Castillo who worked in a neighborhood deli. Castillo, let's say, was moonruck over the Bronx beauty. Every time I would come over here like to the store he would keep asking me like, "Who is she? Like, can you give me her number?" This and that.

The, ever, protective, Joanna, refused,, but she had a plan. I, was, like, "Hey,, I'm, going, to, tell, her that you've been asking about her and I'll see what she says." And that's how it was. I found him interesting and I went out on a date.

It, seemed, like, a, match. He, was, very, nice., He, was, very, attentive to what Eevee wanted, to what her friends wanted as well. He made us feel very comfortable

but, it, wasn't, a, perfect, union. Earlier, in, the, relationship,, we, had, a couple of arguments, little arguments but it was relationships problems that escalated with the time. Joanna remembers a night when she was out with Evir and Ramon. When they returned home for the evening, Joanna says Ramon became enraged when he wasn't invited in.

He, grabbed, her, by, her, hair,, pulled, her back into the car. So when he did that I was like, "No." Like this is what we're not about to do. No, this is not right. I remember one day she came to my house and he literally left his car parked, double parked outside in the middle of the street for like 30 minutes and went upstairs and try to carry her out of my house. That's when I was like "Wo, this guy is really crazy." Dynasty and Joanna were beginning to see red flags waving everywhere, especially after Evir told them about one particular night of rage. He tried to force me to have sex with him. Um, I actually didn't want to have sex with him that night and he was so mad at the fact that I was saying no that he pulled me from the bed. I was wearing thongs and he actually like cut me. Despite that, for Evir, love, as they say, was blind.

She, really, wanted, to, see, the, good, of him, so she was like, you know, we were drinking. Um, I don't think this is going to happen again.

If, Evir, wasn't, yet, able, to, see, the temperamental Ramon's need for control and domination, she was about to get a rude and violent awakening.

Their, relationship, took, a, turn, when, we took a trip to Florida. It was Evir's birthday and she wanted to celebrate in Miami Beach, but not with anyone from the opposite sex.

It, was, a, girls, trip., It, was, my, birthday. My friends didn't want any males around. It wasn't, you know, it was just for us to be comfortable.

Ramon, would, have, none, of, that., He insisted on crashing the party. So, off they went to Florida, the girls, and the unwelcome Ramon. That first night when we went out was the first big problem where I I just realized who he was. We went out, we was clubbing, everything was fine. And all of a sudden, he says "Um, let's go upstairs in front of everybody." And I'm like "Oh, let's wait. It's, you know, we're having a good time. Nobody's leaving yet. Let's just stay a little more." No, I said "Let's go." Those were his reply. "Let's go." I said, "Let's go." And that's it.

My response to him was, "Well, if you want to go ahead, go ahead. I'll meet you upstairs, but I'm not leaving now."

Ramon, went, to, the, room, angry., And, when Evir returned later, she would pay a brutal price.

We, heard, the, screaming, from, her., And, we went to go I went to go and check what was going on. and he was beating her like the room was flipped over and he was in the balcony like with her his hand on her hair and pulling her and trying to choke her. He punched me. He threw me down, hit me. When I got to reach the door to pull it, he grabbed me by the purse to pull me back. He stood in the room and he was just saying he was going to kill himself to not call the cops, that he was going to throw himself off the balcony. Hotel management had called 911 and within minutes Ramon was enraged in cuffs and arrested. It was a moment of reckoning for Evir and her friends.

We, were, like,, "Leave, him, there., That's it. Like, this is your moment to break up with him."

Evir, was, still, reluctant, to, cut, ties., A common characteristic for victims of abuse self-lame.

She, was, like, on, denial, at, that, point., I think um in some kind of way she thought maybe she triggered that. She re she was mad but not that mad at him.

But, thankfully, Evamir, eventually, saw, the light and knew what she had to do coming up.

It, took, me, a, couple, of, months, to actually like get him out out because I never asked him to move in. It took me a while to get him out. It was just battles after fights after fights till he was eventually out.

Evir, gives, Ramon, the, boot., He'll, give Evir something far worse in return.

I, did, not, want, to, raise, my, face, cuz, I know he wanted to, you know, if he wanted to do any damage to me, it would have been to my face.

Evir, Dur, finally, had, enough, of, her controlling boyfriend Raman. And after a violent fight while the two were on vacation, the native New Yorker returned home to start over. Sadly, he had other ideas. Once again, here's Pat Lama.

Evir, D, Clerk, was, ready, to, break, the chain of abuse from Ramon Castillo, but it wouldn't be a clean break. He had made bail in Florida after the hotel room assault on Evir and returned to the Bronx. Still a ticking time bomb, Evir treaded carefully. My excuse to him was, "We need our space in order for this to work."

In, typical, abuser, fashion,, Ramon apologized repeatedly and became obsessed with winning her back.

He, would, just, buy, her, things., Literally, like he would just buy things like anything you could think of, he would just get her. And I remember her telling me like, "I don't know how to get rid of him. Like, I try and he still comes."

It, took, two, agonizing, months, for, Ramon to finally get the message. He called me. I'm still at work. And he's like "Well, I'm going to take all my stuff from my um from the apartment. I'm going to leave you the keys."

Evir, was, now, free, from, the, grip, of domestic violence. Or so she thought.

He, went, destroyed, the, whole, apartment. Just I had It was November cuz I already had put up the Christmas tree. It was ornaments all over. Christmas tree a piece over there. All my clothes was out. the wardro like everything was just broken glass, broken mirrors.

He, glued, her, door, to, the, apartment. Called, the, cops,, made, a, report., He actually ended up paying for everything that he broke and that was the end of that. He actually left my house for good.

In, fact,, Ramon, seemed, to, simply, fly, off the radar. There's, no, sign, of, this, guy., Like,, I haven't seen him. I've heard, you know from friends that we have in common. He started um to work. He was getting his cap driving license. So I'm like, hey maybe, you know, he needed to get his life together.

Hardly., Ramon, was, just, taking, a, break from his reign of terror. And so it begins again.

Ramon, would, show, up, to, her, job,, to, to school, to our friend's house, anywhere he knew that Eevee was at or with a friend. He will break my lights of my car because he thought that she was using my car to go out.

Aimir, once, again, was, forced, to, live, life shadowed by a mad man. We, were, actually, like, waiting, for, it like okay something big has to happen for this to end. Every week was something with him. But Dynasty, Joanna and even Evamir could never have predicted just how big that something would be. On a frigid January night in New York Evamir's shift was almost over at the pharmacy where she worked in Manhattan. Her coworker, Demetrius Johnson, makes a chilling observation.

Demetrius, come, back, and, he's, like,, "Your ex is parked outside the store. Are you waiting for him?" Right now, I was just like, "I don't know what to expect. I haven't spoken to him. I guess I was scared, but I didn't want to show him that I was scared. So, I'm like, "You know what,, Demetrius?, Just, give, me, a second so we can both walk to the train together." He was actually taking the same train as me. We walk outside. He's nowhere to be seen. There's no cars. It's below zero. And we have like a good six blocks to walk.

Amir, tries, to, stay, calm,, but, keeps looking over her shoulder. And suddenly what she sees is no illusion. It's a maniac on a mission.

I, looked, back, and, he, was, like, rushing like speed walking towards me and his hat was down. He had a big coat but his hand was inside his pocket. So I looked back and I'm like that's him. That's him. That's just, you know, I I started speed walking like I I I ran. Let me just grabs him like to stop him and he was not trying to hit Deitrius back or trying to He was his His goal was me. I threw myself on the floor and I grabbed myself like this. He's grabbing me my by my hair trying to pull me up, but it's not possible. Demetrius is actually forcing him and hitting him.

Let her go. Let her go. All I feel is my head going to side to side. Evamir, doesn't, even, realize, what's happened to her. All I know is I feel this really cold. And when I actually touched it, it was a lot of blood behind my head.

In, an, act, of, obsession, and, vengeance, Raone Castillo pulled out a handgun and fired at Evamir, hitting her once in the arm and once in the head. The second bullet grazing her finger and lodging inches above her right ear, but she's still conscious. Ramon Castillo was determined to complete the job, but fate would take a life-saving turn when he tried to fire again. The gun jammed. Ramon turned and ran.

I, feel, like, if, the, gun, would, ne, would have never jammed on the third strike that would have been the bullet that killed me. It was at a close distance.

Air's, story, of, survival, has, been, nothing short of miraculous. She remained conscious all the way to the hospital and doctors told Evir that the bullet lodged in her head was just one centimeter away from killing her. Evir believes she owes her life to her friend Demetrius who valiantly tried to fight off Raone.

He, didn't, get, that, perfect, shot, because Demetrius kept moving him and forcing him and trying to you know punch him to get him away from me. So, he never had that good angle to get what he wanted.

Raone, didn't, get, far., He, was, in, police custody in a matter of minutes. Cops found a suicide note in his car.

I, feel, like, he, realized, he, messed, up., I wasn't going to give him another chance. Shooting me. Maybe it was his idea of she won't be mine. She won't be nobody else's. And even after Ramon was arrested and charged, Aamir received another love letter, wrought with sorrow and begging forgiveness. Everything I did was because I love you.

Ramon, Castillo, was, convicted, of attempted murder and sentenced to 15 years, but that's little comfort to anyone.

I, feel, like, he's, going, to, try, to, find me. He's going to try to find her. Some one of us. Like, I feel like he's going to come back for one of us. It is scary. Like Evamir, millions of women get caught in the tangled web of abuse. Those who say just walk away don't understand the dynamics of domestic violence. But through her story, Aamir and her friends hope to give strength and encouragement to others locked in the same living hell.

Don't, think, you, could, fight, it, off. Don't think you could win it off. Speak to someone. Don't be ashamed. Get the help that you need and try to get out of it alive.

You, can't, demand, how, you, want, to, be treated. For, Evir,, there, are, battle, scars.

I, wake, up, panicking, thinking, something's going to happen. Like, it's just you can ask anybody. Like, it's just I wake up thinking the whole world is about to end.

But, those, scars, are, symbols, of, survival and newfound wisdom. I, got, the, help, that, I, needed., I, went, to therapy. I did what I had to do. Went back to school. I got my bachelor's degree. I didn't let that stop my life. Like, I had to continue. I had to make sure that, you know, this was not going to set my life up. Like, this wasn't going to be it.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Mother stabbed to death by ex-husband after donating her kidney"?

Chris Hansen (Host), Renee Pagel (Guest), Michael Pagel (Guest), Nerissa Knight (Guest), Bob Bianke (Guest), Evir D Clerk (Guest).

What is "Mother stabbed to death by ex-husband after donating her kidney" about?

Renee Pagel, a dedicated teacher and mother of three, is brutally murdered by her ex-husband shortly after selflessly donating her kidney to save a stranger's life. The investigation reveals a horrific scene in her home, prompting questions about motives and domestic violence as the search for justice begins.

What is mentioned in this True Crime News episode?

9 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Renee Pagel, Crime Watch Daily, Michael Paggel, Aamir D Clerk, Ramon Leandre Castillo, Chris Hansen. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Mother stabbed to death by ex-husband after donating her kidney"?

The episode runs 38 min; the transcript is about 6,535 words in 157 timestamped sections.

More from True Crime News

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.