CHINO, Calif. (KABC) -- 2 brothers were found guilty of murder in connection with the death of a groom at his 2019 wedding reception in Chino, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
According to a jury verdict rendered on Feb. 9, Rony & Josue Castaneda were guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of Joe Melgoza.
The Castaneda brothers were also convicted of assault with a deadly weapon for injuries to the bride's brother.
Joe & Esther Melgoza were married on Dec. 14, 2019. The groom was celebrating his wedding hours before the violent incident occurred in the early morning hours Dec. 15, at a reception.
"Although the Casteneda brothers did not have any apparent connection to the wedding party, they lived nearby & likely heard the festivities and went to the reception, uninvited," the DA's statement said. "At the reception, the brothers were seen socializing, dancing & taking photos with female guests."
The brothers left but later returned, unbeknownst to Melgoza and his family, armed with baseball bats.
"Standing in the dark behind a fence they made antagonizing statements to Melgoza to jump over the fence to their side. Once Melgoza & his family jumped the fence, the brothers began hitting them all with bats & fists."
A family member was able to take a bat from one of the Castaneda brothers, who ran into a nearby home. Melgoza, who was unarmed, followed them.
Chino police officers responded to the scene & found Melgoza dead in the yard where the Castaneda brothers were last seen. Melgoza's official cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head.
Rony & Josue Castaneda are scheduled to be sentenced on March 13.
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