On a tragic evening in Edinburgh, Indiana, the life of 14-year-old Jonathon Elliott was cut short in a sudden act of violence. The White / Caucasian male was at a family member's home in the 600 block of South Pleasant Street on April 29, 2023, engrossed in a video game alongside his brother, when the familiar sounds of virtual worlds were shattered by a real-life gunshot. A single bullet struck Jonathon in the chest, inflicting a fatal wound. In the immediate aftermath, as first responders worked to save him, the young teen was able to identify his attacker to the police before he was rushed to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, where he ultimately succumbed to his injury.
The individual Jonathon named was his 20-year-old foster brother, Pedro C. Castillo Salmeron. According to Jonathon's brother, David Brandenburg, who witnessed the horrific event, Castillo Salmeron had been handling a gun just before it discharged. In the chaotic moments that followed, Brandenburg urged Castillo Salmeron to call 911, but he claimed the call wouldn't connect. Brandenburg then took it upon himself to summon help. Castillo Salmeron fled the residence, hiding the firearm before eventually returning to the scene. He was apprehended by Edinburgh police without incident later that same night.
The motive for the shooting remained a point of deep anguish and confusion for Jonathon's family, who described the relationship between the two as typical of siblings, with no significant disputes. His mother, Christina Abney, remembered her son as a happy and kind-hearted boy who loved video games and music and was always willing to help others. The family had been supporting Castillo Salmeron in his efforts to obtain U.S. citizenship.
Initially arrested on a preliminary charge of reckless homicide, Pedro C. Castillo Salmeron later pleaded guilty to the Level 5 felony in Johnson County Superior Court. The community mourned the loss of a young life taken too soon, with a memorial service planned at the Brown County Community Church, where Jonathon had been baptized. His family, left to grapple with the senselessness of their loss, set up a fundraiser to help with funeral expenses.
