Nogales, Ariz. (KVOA) – A lawsuit to appoint a board to the University of Arizona to block the sale of the historic home of Arizona’s first Latino governor, Raul Castro, is in Santa Cruz County Superior Court. filed.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday by Castro’s daughter Beth Castro and other members of his estate.
The News 4 Tucson Investigators were the first to report that the university plans to sell the house in September.
Raul Castro passed away in 2015 and the house was donated to the University of Arizona in 2016. The University of Arizona soon made big announcements about plans to transform the 100-plus-year-old house into a border research center.
“I think it’s very disrespectful to my family’s name,” Beth told N4T investigators last year when she learned the plan had been scrapped.
The lawsuit accuses the university of breach of contract, breach of good faith and fair dealing agreement, unfair enrichment, and seeks an injunction to stop the sale of the home.
Briana Ortega is Beth’s attorney in charge of the case.
“What the Castro family really wants is to cancel the contract they signed with the university and regain ownership of the Castro family. It will be achievable, Santa Cruz County,” Ortega said.
Castro’s house went on the market for $300,000 just a few days ago. The house needs a lot of work and is the main reason UofA had to let go of the original plans.
The university estimates that the renovation will cost more than $2 million.
Part of Beth’s lawsuit now concerns a mold problem on the roof of the house, which she claims was left in disrepair while in the hands of the university.
Ortega said a judge could issue an injunction to stop sales as early as next week while the case moves through court.
An N4T investigator contacted UofA regarding the lawsuit, and a spokesperson referred us to the Arizona Board of Directors. So far, we have not received any comments from them.
If you have a case you would like us to investigate, please email us at investigators@kvoa.com or call us at 520-955-4444.
