DA won’t seek death in South Union Avenue double homicide

Jason Kotowski
·1 min read
10

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The District Attorney’s Office won’t seek the death penalty for a man charged with two counts of murder in a shooting last year on South Union Avenue.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kinzel made the announcement in court Friday, and a new trial date for 30-year-old Brian Castellon was set in May.

Castellon, who faces a total of 15 felony counts, is accused of shooting and killing two people at a mobile home community on April 12 in the 1200 block of South Union Avenue then attempting two carjackings.

The slain men were identified as Ernest Dean Vega, 27, and Jordan Shelton, 29.

Castellon was released from prison one week before the shooting and is a member of the Mexican Mafia, according to court documents.

Castellon admitted to the shooting, according to the documents, and also admitted to attempting to carjack someone and afterward breaking into a home where he threatened to kill the residents if they didn’t give him the keys to a vehicle. He admitted firing at the residents when they tried to leave, documents said.

Deputies arrested him soon after the second carjacking attempt, documents said, and found him in possession of a handgun with no serial number.

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