Winchester, CA - Longtime Kanawha County Public Defender George Castelle died July 14, 2026, after a long and courageous struggle with Parkinson's Disease. He served as Chief Public Defender of Kanawha County, West Virginia, from 1989 until 2015. In 1984, he opened the first public defender office in Kanawha County, an office representing juveniles in trial and appellate proceedings. George helped push the West Virginia Supreme Court to launch a full investigation into forensic analyst Fred Zain's misconduct. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Paul Castelle, Baltimore, Maryland, mother, Daphne Clarke Castelle, Brigus, Newfoundland, and sister, Gigi Castelle Joly of Nailsworth, England.