Brothers accused of crashing wedding reception, killing groom face prison in California

Two brothers accused of beating a newly married groom to death after crashing his wedding reception have been found guilty, California officials reported.

A jury convicted Rony and Josue Castaneda on Feb. 9 on charges including murder and assault with a deadly weapon in the December 2019 slaying, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office said in a Feb. 28 news release.

The brothers attended a reception near their Chino home for the wedding of Joe and Esther Melgoza despite not being invited, prosecutors said.

They were seen socializing and dancing at the reception, which featured a mariachi band, a photo booth, bar, DJ and dance floor, the release said.

After the reception, the brothers went home, then returned with baseball bats to taunt Joe Melgoza and his family from behind a chain-link fence, prosecutors said.

When he and his family jumped the fence, the Castanedas beat them with baseball bats, the release said. The brothers fled when someone grabbed one of their bats.

Joe Melgoza followed them into the front yard of their home, where police found him dead of a head injury a short time later, prosecutors said.

“I commend my colleagues’ dedication to this case and determination to seek justice for a family who endured such unimaginable grief during a time that should be filled (with) love and happiness,” District Attorney Jason Anderson said in a statement.

The Castaneda brothers are scheduled to be sentenced on March 13.

This story was originally published March 1, 2023 at 11:16 AM with the headline "Brothers accused of crashing wedding reception, killing groom face prison in California."