GLENDALE, AZ – On a summer night in June 2023, a mother’s desperate cries echoed from a Glendale apartment as she pleaded for her life and the safety of her child. The harrowing moments that followed would later become the focus of a murder trial, culminating this week in a first-degree murder conviction.
Jordin Miranda Castillo, 20, was with her two-year-old daughter and friends when her former boyfriend unexpectedly scaled the third-floor balcony of her residence. According to police, the man, identified as Rueben Rocha, forcibly kicked in a glass door to gain access, shattering the ordinary calm of the evening.
As soon as Rocha arrived, Castillo placed a frantic call for help, shouting warnings and citing a protective order, imploring Rocha to leave. The 911 recording would capture the chaos, with Castillo’s voice filled with fear as she tried to warn him of the legal consequences.
Within moments, Rocha drew a firearm and unleashed a barrage of bullets inside the apartment. Castillo was fatally struck, and two of her friends who were present suffered injuries but survived the attack. In the midst of the violence, one of the friends managed to grab Castillo’s young daughter and shelter her in a bathroom.
Detectives later revealed that a confrontation on social media had escalated tensions between Castillo and Rocha in the days leading up to the attack. Police say Rocha arrived dressed in dark clothing, his face partially obscured, suggesting a planned and deliberate assault that night.
Neighbors who heard the commotion described the sound of breaking glass and gunfire, followed by screaming. Emergency crews arrived to a chaotic scene, while Rocha had already fled. In the aftermath, authorities confirmed there was no prior documented history of domestic violence between Castillo and Rocha.
Rocha eventually turned himself in and was taken into custody. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder, along with aggravated assault, burglary, and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident.
At trial, jurors heard chilling details from the survivor’s testimony and reviewed the 911 audio that captured Castillo’s final moments. After deliberation, they returned a guilty verdict Monday on all major charges.
Family members painted a portrait of Castillo as courageous and devoted, promising to keep her memory alive for her young daughter. Loved ones described her strength and independence during an emotional gathering last year.
Sentencing for Rocha is scheduled for March 20, where he will formally learn the consequences of his actions in the case that ended a young mother’s life and shook a Glendale community.