Following jury selection, the trial for the alleged I-96 shooter began Thursday afternoon with victim testimony.
MSU alumnus Raulie Casteel, 44, allegedly went on a shooting spree, shooting at 24 people between Oct. 16 and 27 in 2012 while driving on the I-96 corridor.
The shootings span across four separate counties, including Ingham County.
Casteel faces nine counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and nine felony firearms counts. He also faces terrorism charges in Livingston County.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office in Livingston, Shiawassee and Ingham counties.
Casteel attended MSU from 1995 to 1997, graduating with a degree from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
At the time, his former roommate described his actions as “shocking” and “unexpected.”
In October, the Wixom, Mich., resident pleaded no contest but mentally ill for the charges he faced in Oakland County. He will be sentenced on Jan. 30.
Casteel was previous evaluated and found to have delusional disorder, but was found competent enough to stand trial.
In a previous interview with The State News, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said it took a rather lengthy process to describe the incident during the trial in October.
“It took an hour and a huge map showing the interstate so the judge could understand all the charges,” Cooper said. “It doesn’t take into account all of the other counties.”
If he is convicted, Casteel could face life in prison. His trial reconvenes Friday morning.
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