A Maricopa County jury on Monday convicted Rueben Xavier Rocha in the 2023 shooting that killed his former girlfriend, 20-year-old Jordin Miranda Castillo, and injured two others at a West Valley apartment complex near 51st and Northern avenues.
Rocha, now 24, was found guilty on nine charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated assault, burglary and disorderly conduct. The case drew attention for its domestic violence history, including a protective order the victim had obtained weeks before the attack. Prosecutors said Rocha fired from a third-floor balcony as Castillo called 911. The verdict closes a two-and-a-half-year path from the shooting on June 4, 2023, through arrest, pretrial hearings and a full trial in Maricopa County Superior Court.
According to police, officers were dispatched around 2:30 p.m. on June 4, 2023, after reports of gunfire at an apartment near Northern and 51st avenues. Investigators said Rocha went to Castillo’s third-floor unit, got onto the balcony and kicked through a glass door. As Castillo phoned 911, Rocha opened fire from the balcony into the apartment, striking Castillo and two friends. A woman inside hid Castillo’s toddler in a bathroom, and neither the child nor two other occupants were physically hurt. “All three adults were transported to local hospitals with serious and life-threatening injuries,” Detective Laura Lechuga said at the time. Castillo died soon after, and one of the wounded women remained in critical condition for days.
Police said Rocha left the scene but turned himself in to Glendale officers the next day. Court records show the two had recently split and shared a 2-year-old daughter. Family members told reporters Castillo, who went by her middle name, Miranda, had secured an order of protection in April 2023. Investigators said online disputes preceded the attack. After his arrest, Rocha was booked into jail on suspicion of murder, aggravated assault and burglary and initially held on a $2 million cash-only bond. During trial, jurors heard 911 audio in which Castillo referenced the protection order and pleaded for Rocha to leave. The panel deliberated before finding Rocha guilty on all counts listed in the indictment.
The shooting occurred at a complex along a busy Glendale corridor lined with apartments and small businesses, an area that has seen heavy police and fire responses during summer months. Records in the Superior Court case, CR2023-124403, show routine pretrial motions and competency reviews common in homicide prosecutions. Prosecutors outlined the sequence that began on the balcony and ended with immediate medical evacuations. The wounded survivors, women ages 19 and 20 at the time, were treated for gunshot injuries. A man in the apartment was not hit. Glendale detectives recovered shell casings, documented the broken balcony door and took statements from neighbors who reported a rapid series of shots.
Officials have said the case underscores the role of prior protective orders in domestic incidents while noting that such orders are civil court documents enforced by police but do not physically prevent contact. Police statements from June 2023 described a history of domestic violence reports involving the couple and referenced messages exchanged earlier that day. Family members told reporters they had gathered at Glendale police headquarters the day after the shooting, calling for accountability and describing Castillo as a devoted young mother. A neighborhood witness said he heard at least six shots, ran to his patio and saw a man leaving the building with a gun in his hand before calling 911.
With Monday’s guilty verdict, Rocha now awaits sentencing, scheduled for March 20 in Maricopa County Superior Court. First-degree murder in Arizona carries penalties up to life in prison. The court will also consider the aggravated assault and burglary counts tied to the two surviving victims and the apartment entry. Victim impact statements are expected at sentencing, and prosecutors typically outline aggravating factors, including the presence of a child during the offense and a prior protective order. Defense counsel can present mitigating evidence before the judge imposes terms on each count.
Outside court in 2023, relatives expressed grief and described the days after the shooting as a blur of hospital visits and vigil planning. “She fought to the very last minute,” said Elijah Castillo, her older brother, speaking at a Glendale police news conference. Her aunt, Mercedes Castillo, said the family would ensure the child remembers her mother. A neighbor recalled hearing a fast volley—“bang, bang, bang”—before dialing 911. In the complex’s courtyards, residents left candles and flowers beneath a second-story stairwell as investigators photographed the balcony and door glass strewn on the walkway below.
As of late Monday, Rocha remained in county custody pending sentencing on March 20. Court officials said details for the hearing would be posted to the docket as the date approaches.
Author note: Last updated February 2, 2026.