In the pre-dawn hours of October 30, 2022, a domestic dispute in Aurora, Colorado, escalated into a tragic quadruple homicide, claiming the life of 51-year-old Jesus Serrano. The violence erupted at a home on Geneva Street, where Serrano was killed alongside his daughter, Maria Anita Serrano, 22, her husband, Kenneth Eugene Green Luque, 20, and a tenant, Rudolfo Salgado Perez, 49.
The suspect in the killings was 21-year-old Joseph Castorena, the ex-boyfriend of Jesus Serrano's other daughter, who survived the attack.
The events of that fatal morning were set in motion when Castorena, who had a history of domestic violence and a restraining order against him, broke into the family's home and lay in wait for their return from a party. Shortly after 2 a.m., upon arriving home, Castorena's ex-girlfriend discovered his keys in her bedroom and immediately called 911, fearing he was inside the house. While she was on the phone with dispatchers, gunfire erupted. Castorena, armed with a handgun, had begun his deadly assault on her family. Two young children were also present in the home but were physically unharmed.
Following the shooting, Joseph Castorena, a Hispanic male, fled the scene, sparking a manhunt that extended beyond state lines. His brother and a cousin were later arrested, accused of aiding his escape. After weeks on the run, with the assistance of the FBI and Mexican authorities, Castorena was apprehended in Aguascalientes, Mexico, in December 2022. He was extradited back to Colorado to face charges.
In May 2024, a jury convicted Joseph Castorena on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. In September of the same year, he was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences, plus an additional 24 years, ensuring he would spend the rest of his life in prison for the devastating attack that took the lives of Jesus Serrano and three others.
