Brian Castro, a 21-year-old Hispanic man from San Jose, California, was a construction roofer with a passion for cars. Remembered by his family as a loving and caring son, brother, and father, he was devoted to his three-year-old boy and was planning to propose to his girlfriend. His family described him as a good person who had never been in trouble and was excited about his future.
In the early morning of August 15, 2019, just before 2 a.m., Brian and a friend stopped for gas at an Arco station on Senter Road, not far from his home. While there, both men were shot. Despite their injuries, they managed to drive themselves to the nearby Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center. Brian was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, while his friend survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
San Jose homicide detectives investigated the shooting, which authorities later described as an ambush set up to rob Brian and his friend during what was reported to be a $4,000
marijuana deal. The investigation led police to identify three suspects, all residents of Stockton. In October 2019, authorities arrested Ricardo Diaz, then 24, Alexander Toledo, then 28, and Keonte Smith, then 24, in connection with the killing.
The three men were tried in 2022. A jury convicted Ricardo Diaz and Alexander Toledo of murder, robbery, and assault. They were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Keonte Smith was convicted of robbery and assault and received a 13-year prison sentence.
In October 2026, the California 6th District Court of Appeal reviewed the trial. The appellate court ruled that certain remarks made by the prosecutor during jury selection, including a “pit bull analogy” and referring to the defendants as predators, violated the California Racial Justice Act. Citing this improper language, the court vacated the convictions and sentences for all three men. The case was sent back to Santa Clara County Superior Court for further proceedings as of October 2026.
