Juan Sebastian Castillo, 18

Juan Sebastian Castillo, an 18-year-old Latino, was found shot to death Sunday, Feb. 26 in Santa Monica, according to coroner’s records. 

About 5 a.m., Santa Monica police responded to a call about an unconscious man on the ground in the 1300 block of 16th Street near UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica Police Lt. Saul Rodriguez said. Officers found Castillo with a gunshot wound to the head, and he was pronounced dead at 5:18 a.m., according to coroner’s records. 

Detectives believe Castillo's body was dumped at the scene and are still trying to determine where he was shot. Officers are investigating whether Castillo's death is linked to a report of a shooting about 12:45 a.m., when police found evidence of gunfire in the 2100 block of Pico Boulevard, Rodriguez said.

“We have not made that link yet, but we have not ruled it out at this point,” Rodriguez said. “Beyond that, we are still looking for any possible witnesses who may have seen the crime or seen the individual, our victim, being dropped off — or how he got there.”

------------
For the Record

March 1, 1:51 p.m.: A previous version of this report referenced the incorrect date of death. Castillo was found dead Sunday, Feb. 26, not Monday, Feb. 27.

------------

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

-- Times staff writer Jerome Campbell contributed to this report