Joe Melgoza wedding crashers death: Newly married Chino, California groom beaten to death by wedding crashers w/ baseball bats.
A California groom was beaten to death by wedding crashers with baseball bats whilst trying to protect guests as two uninvited men sought to make entry at a weekend wedding reception in the backyard of a local Chino home.
Joe Melgoza, 30, died a few short hours after exchanging wedding vows with his newly married wife, Esther Bustamante Melgoza.
Despite Melgoza being rushed to Chino Valley Medical Center, the newly married man fatally succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind his wife of just a few hours, and his 11-year-old daughter.
The dailymail reported the incident taking place circa 2.20 am Sunday morning.
Police identified the suspects in the groom’s brutal killing as brothers Rony Aristides Castaneda Ramirez, 28, and 19-year-old Josue Daniel Castaneda Ramirez.
Groom died a hero trying to protect guests:
According to the Chino Police Department, the siblings did not know Melgoza, but lived not far from the home of his wife’s family in the 13200 block of 17th Street where the couple’s reception was being held, and showed up at the celebration uninvited, reported KTLA5.
The wedding crashers allegedly started a fight with some of the guests and were asked to leave, which they did, only to return a short time later armed with baseball bats, according to Melgoza’s brother, Andy Velasquez.
Velasquez told NBC Los Angeles that his brother tried to confront the ‘cowards,’ who then pulled him away and killed him.
Two other people attending the wedding celebration sustained minor injuries in the earlier confrontation with the Castaneda Ramirez brothers.
‘My brother did not deserve to die like that, he was a good man, he was a solid man,’ Velasquez said. ‘My brother was protecting his family. They came and they murdered him.’
Velasquez said of Melgoza that he was a father figure to him who had taught him how to be a man and how to raise his own family.
Anything helps guys. RIP Joe 😔🙏🏻https://t.co/AIbRcWUzCx
— Juan Galarza (@GalarzaJuanj) December 17, 2019
Groom remembered and celebrated:
According to his Facebook page, Melgoza and his then-fiancee, Esther, married in a modest civil ceremony back in August, five months before Saturday’s backyard celebration.
Video recorded at the reception showed a beaming Melgoza dancing with his bride and raising a glass with his guests, unawares of the tragedy that lay ahead.
‘Joe was a loving son, brother, father, cousin, partner, family member and friend,’ reads the description of a GoFundMe campaign. ‘He always had a way to make you smile. He was there for you at anytime to give a helping hand. He was taken from us in such a tragic and horrific way.
Melgoza is survived by his honor student 11-year-old daughter, Lilly, of whom he had full custody. The girl will now be raised by her father’s family.
