The incident occurred just a week after Serrano was granted a court order to keep Castorena away from her. Prosecutors alleged that Castorena broke into Serrano’s home and waited inside with a gun until family members returned home. When Serrano arrived, she noticed his keys in her bedroom and called the police. Shots were fired as she spoke to dispatchers, leading to the tragic deaths of three of Serrano’s relatives and a man who rented an RV on the property.
The couple has two children together, who were fortunately out-of-state with family at the time of the shooting. Serrano had sought a court protective order a week prior to the incident, claiming that Castorena had held a gun at her and threatened to kill her. She also alleged that he had held her in his car against her will. Despite these warning signs, the devastating shooting still occurred, resulting in the loss of four lives.
Castorena was arrested over a month after the shooting in Mexico and was later extradited back to Colorado to face trial. He was convicted of four counts of first-degree murder after deliberation and one count of attempted murder. Castorena now faces a mandatory life sentence for each of his first-degree murder convictions. The sentencing is scheduled for September 3rd, where he will be held accountable for the heinous crime he committed.
The community has been left shocked and saddened by the tragic events that unfolded in suburban Denver. The senseless loss of four lives has had a profound impact on all those involved, from the victims’ families to the local authorities who have worked tirelessly to bring Castorena to justice. The incident serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of domestic violence and the importance of taking threats seriously, as well as the critical need for effective protective measures to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
As the case prepares to move into the sentencing phase, the victims’ families and the community at large are seeking closure and justice for the lives that were taken. The court order that Serrano had obtained to protect herself from Castorena was tragically not enough to prevent the deadly outcome. Moving forward, there will likely be renewed discussions and efforts to strengthen protections for victims of domestic violence and to raise awareness about the resources available to those in need of support. The impact of this senseless act of violence will be felt for years to come, but the hope is that justice will be served and lessons will be learned to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
