Maricopa County Man Sentenced For Murder, Terrorizing Family

justice

PHOENIX — A Maricopa County man, Jorge Acosta, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to 2nd Degree Murder of Maria Castillo in 2017.

Acosta also pleaded guilty to Burglary and two counts of Aggravated Assault.

Acosta broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home and shot her and killed her mother.

“The defendant’s murder of Maria Castillo was senseless, and the sentence for the defendant’s reckless actions that night illustrates our resolve to hold him fully accountable, despite his attempts to hide and avoid taking responsibility,” said Maricopa County Attorney Chief Deputy Rachel Mitchell.

In the early morning hours of August 2, 2017 Acosta was able to get into the home of his ex-girlfriend who had a protective order against him. Acosta was armed with a gun and tried to wake the victim indicating she should come with him without waking their young son who was asleep nearby. The victim instead was able to get Acosta out of the room and locked the bedroom door with her and her son inside.

Acosta then began to shoot numerous times through the door causing serious injuries to his ex-girlfriend. The shooting woke up the victim’s mother, 56-year-old Maria Castillo, who was also in the home, and when she opened her bedroom door Acosta saw her and shot her multiple times killing her.

Two of Castillo’s grandchildren were also in the home and witnessed Acosta shoot at their mother and kill their grandmother before he left the home. None of the children in the home were physically injured.

Acosta left the home and fled to Mexico, but was apprehended a couple of weeks later when he tried to reenter the United States. He told investigators that he felt the entire incident was the victim’s fault.

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