Brothers Kill Groom On Wedding Night: Authorities

CHINO, CA — Two brothers were recently found guilty of killing a groom on the night of his wedding reception and assaulting the bride’s brother, according to authorities.

A jury determined Feb. 9 that Rony and Josue Castaneda were guilty of both second-degree murder in the death of Joe Melgoza and assault with a deadly weapon in the injury of Juan Bustamonte, according to the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office.

“Although this conviction can never undo the pain caused by two individual’s actions, I hope it brings a measure of closure to the wife and loved ones of Joe Melgoza,” District Attorney Jason Anderson said in a news release.

Joe and Esther Melgoza were married Dec. 14, 2019, just hours before Joe Melgoza was killed early the following morning, authorities said. Their reception was held at a family home in Chino, complete with a mariachi band, photo booth, bar, DJ and dance floor, according to authorities.

The Castaneda brothers lived nearby and are believed to have attended the reception, uninvited, authorities said. The brothers socialized, danced and took photos with female guests, before leaving as the reception drew to a close, only to return with baseball bats, according to authorities.

The brothers stood in the dark behind a fence in the back of the home and antagonized Joe Melgoza, who jumped the fence with family members, only to be hit with bats and fists, authorities said.

A relative of Joe Melgoza pulled a bat from one of the brothers, who ran to a nearby residence and was followed by Joe Melgoza, who was not armed, according to authorities. Minutes later, the Castaneda brothers jumped the fence of the nearby home carrying a single bat, authorities said.

They left Joe Melgoza in their wake, dying of blunt force trauma to the head, according to authorities.

Josue Castaneda denied attending the reception, but was found to have a photo booth picture of the brothers with a female guest from the reception in his pocket, authorities said.

Both defendants are set to be sentenced March 13, according to authorities.