Colorado man receives 4 life sentences for breaking into ex’s home and killing her family members

AURORA, Colo. (TCN) -- A man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing three of his ex-girlfriend’s family members in 2022 after a restraining order was issued against the defendant a week prior.

Colorado’s 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced that a judge sentenced 23-year-old Joseph Castorena on Sept. 3 to four consecutive life sentences, plus an additional 24 years for the first-degree murders of Maria Anita Serrano, Jesus Serrano, Kenneth Luque, and Rudolfo Perez, as well as the attempted first-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend. A jury found him guilty of the charges in May. Per Colorado law, each first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.

According to prosecutors, on Oct. 30, 2022, Castorena broke into his ex’s home armed with a gun and waited until the family returned. His ex reportedly saw Castorena’s keys in her bedroom and called police, reporting that he could be hiding inside the house and should not be there since a restraining order had been issued against him. While she was speaking with dispatchers, multiple gunshots were reportedly heard.

Officers responded to the scene and discovered the four victims deceased from gunshot wounds. The district attorney’s office said the ex-girlfriend and her two young children were physically unharmed. Three of the deceased victims were family members of the ex-girlfriend, while the fourth victim rented an RV on the property. Authorities said the fourth victim was fatally shot when he went outside during the shooting.

According to prosecutors, Castorena fled to Mexico following the incident, where he was captured in December before his extradition back to Colorado.

Senior Chief Deputy District Attorney Darcy Kofol said, "This coward executed an entire family and innocent tenant. This defendant couldn’t accept the fact that his ex-girlfriend wanted to move on with her life. Instead, he decided to viciously murder everyone she loved."