Four people, including three family members, were fatally shot at an Aurora home on Oct. 30, 2022.
AURORA, Colorado — Jurors in Arapahoe County are now deciding whether to convict the man accused of killing four people at an Aurora home in 2022 and then fleeing to Mexico where he evaded capture for months.
Joseph Castorena, now 22, is charged with 12 counts related to the killing of four people back in October 2022. Those charges included four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, and multiple sentence enhancers. Testimony in his trial began last week and closing arguments wrapped up just before 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to police, a family member of one of the victims said Castorena broke into their home in the 900 block of Geneva Street on Oct. 30, 2002. He then waited inside with a gun until they returned home from a party, the family member said.
The victims were identified as:
- Jesus Serrano, 51
- Maria Anita Serrano, 22
- Kenneth Eugene Green Luque, 20
- Rudolfo Salgado Perez, 49
Three of them are relatives of Castorena’s ex. The other victim rented an RV on the property and was killed when he came out in the midst of the shooting.
After spending weeks on the run, Castorena was arrested on Dec. 10 in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes with assistance from the FBI, local police, Mexican immigration, and the Mexican government.
Castorena also faces charges related to a crime that occurred in the weeks before the killings that involved two of the victims.
In addition to facing charges in that case and the murder case, Castorena also faces charges for threatening his ex about a week prior to the shooting.
Two of his relatives, including his brother and cousin, are accused of helping him avoid capture immediately following the killings. Both have pleaded guilty and are set for sentencing on June 10.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Investigations & Crime
