Corkscrew castration murder accused 'wore genitalia of dead lover' court hears

Lawyers for Mr Seabra argue he was overcome by psychosis and believed that God was telling him to remove the "virus" of homosexuality by tearing off Carlos Castro's testicles

Portuguese underwear model, Renato Seabra, 21, is accused of killing fashion journalist Carlos Castro, 65, while the pair were on holiday at the InterContinental Hotel in Manhattan last year (AP)

A New York court has heard that a Portuguese model accused of killing a gay fashion journalist bludgeoned his victim to death before cutting off his testicles with a corkscrew and wearing them on his wrist.

Portuguese underwear model, Renato Seabra, 21, is accused of killing fashion journalist Carlos Castro, 65, while the pair were on holiday at the InterContinental Hotel in Manhattan last year.

Defence lawyers are claiming that Seabra fell into an hour-long psychotic fit during which he hit the victim with a TV, strangled him and then cut off his testicles.

He then reportedly wore the testicles on his wrist claiming they had healing powers.

"He did this for his protection. He could also harness the power. He wandered the streets of Manhattan, touching people, because he had the power to cure people from AIDS, because he had the power to cure them,” said Mr Rubin Sinins for the defence.

Lawyers for Mr Seabra argue he was overcome by psychosis and believed that God was telling him to remove the "virus" of homosexuality by tearing off Castro's testicles. Attorney Rubin Sinins claims that Seabra killed the journalist because he was so tortured by his relationship with him.

In court, Wanda Pires - a close friend of Mr Castro - said he had described his relationship with the 21-year-old as “the best thing that ever happened in his life”.

Pires said Mr Castro had lavishly gifts on the young model, and had given him free run with his credit card. He had organised trips to casinos, shopping malls and basketball games during their holiday.

Ms Pires said, however, that the relationship had later turned sour when Mr Castro later caught Seabra with a group of young women.

Accoring to the New York Post Ms Pires told the court she had spoken to the murdered man on the morning of his death, she told jurors.

"He said they were fighting all night," she said Carlos told him. "She said Renato told him that he is not gay anymore," and that he would rather pleasure himself than be with the older man.