PHOENIX— Jorge Acosta (D.O.B. 03-17-1973) was recently sentenced to 40 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to 2nd Degree Murder, Burglary and two counts of Aggravated Assault for breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home and shooting her and killing 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 the defendant was able to get into the home of his ex-girlfriend who had a protective order against him. The defendant 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 the defendant out of the room and locked the bedroom door with her and her son inside. The defendant 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 the defendant saw her and shot her multiple times killing her.
Two of Castillo’s grandchildren were also in the home and witnessed the defendant shoot at their mother and kill their grandmother before the defendant left the home. Luckily none of the children in the home were physically injured.
The Defendant 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.