Judge Upbraids Man who Killed Several Members of Ex-Girlfriend’s Family After Breakup

Colorado: Joseph Castorena will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of murdering multiple members of his ex-girlfriend’s family. The massacre, fueled by rage over a domestic violence accusation and their breakup, occurred in October 2022. Castorena’s conviction on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder led to his automatic life sentence without parole, a standard penalty in Colorado.

The Crime and its Victims

On October 30, 2022, Castorena, 23, broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home in Aurora, Colorado. Inside, he executed four individuals: Maria Anita Serrano, 22, his ex-girlfriend’s sister; Jesus Serrano, 51, her father; Kenneth Eugene Green Luque, 20, the sister’s husband; and Rudolfo Salgado Perez, 49, a tenant living in an RV on the property. The attack was a calculated ambush driven by Castorena’s inability to accept the end of his relationship. The brutal killings were the culmination of escalating violence after his ex-girlfriend accused him of domestic abuse and obtained a restraining order just a week before the incident. The intended target of his rage, Castorena’s ex-girlfriend, was on the phone with police during the murders. She and her two children survived the attack, but Castorena was also convicted of attempting to kill her.

Judge’s Condemnation and Sentencing

During the sentencing, Arapahoe County District Judge David Karpel condemned Castorena’s actions, calling him a “coward” and an “insignificant, little man with a big gun” who used violence to control those he supposedly loved. Karpel delivered a scathing rebuke, emphasizing the killer’s lack of remorse. “Your insignificance will dissipate in time into the ether where you will become forgotten,” Karpel stated, underscoring how Castorena’s actions will define his legacy as one of senseless brutality.

Prosecutors echoed these sentiments, with Senior Chief Deputy District Attorney Darcy Kofol calling Castorena’s actions the execution of “an entire family and an innocent tenant” because he couldn’t accept that his ex-girlfriend wanted to move on. In addition to his life sentence for the murders, Castorena was sentenced to 24 years for attempted murder, although this sentence will run concurrently with the life terms.

A Fateful Escape and Capture

Following the massacre, Castorena fled to Mexico in an attempt to evade law enforcement. However, an international task force, including the FBI, Mexican immigration agents, and local authorities, tracked him down. Castorena was arrested and extradited to Colorado in March 2023, where he was brought to justice for his heinous crimes. Castorena remained silent throughout his sentencing, refusing to acknowledge his responsibility for the tragedy. Prosecutors revealed that he continued to blame his ex-girlfriend, showing no remorse for his actions. His complete lack of accountability further cemented his status as a remorseless killer in the eyes of the court.

Legacy of Violence

The Castorena case highlights the lethal consequences of domestic violence and the tragic outcomes when restraining orders fail to prevent abusers from seeking revenge. In this case, the restraining order did not stop Castorena from returning to his ex-girlfriend’s home to carry out the murders. Now, he will spend the remainder of his life in prison, forever marked by his violent actions.