Antonio “Niño” Castillo, father of Dominican artist Diomary “La Mala”, dies at 85

Antonio “Niño” Castillo, an 85‑year‑old lawyer, notary public and former union leader, died in San Francisco de Macorís, Dominican Republic. He held senior positions at Banco Popular Dominicano and the Nordestana Corporación de Crédito, and served for 14 years as president of the Duarte sections of the Colegio de Abogados and the Colegio de Notarios.

Castillo was also a celebrated sports figure, having played baseball and softball and being inducted into the Northeast Region Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. He was known locally for his karaoke performances of boleros, baladas, rancheras, merengues, salsa and bachata. He was the husband of educator Celeste Adalgisa Jiménez and the father of artist Diomary Celeste Castillo, known as “La Mala”, as well as of Luis Manuel “Luichy”, Julio César and Germán Amaury Castillo. His remains were laid in the Funeraria San Francisco, where family, friends and community members paid their respects.