Newlywed Man Beaten To Death At His Own Wedding Reception

What an absolute nightmare…

What should have been the happiest day of two people’s lives turned into the most devastating for one — and the last for the other — when on Saturday, just hours after his wedding, 30-year-old Joe Melgoza was beaten to death at his own reception in Chino, California.

According to a statement released by the Chino Police Department on Monday, cops were called to the backyard reception late Saturday night/early Sunday morning where they found a crowd of partygoers still horrified by the unexpected violence.

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Police found two people who had minor injuries from being the victims of battery, but witnesses told them a third had also been attacked and was missing. That victim turned out to be the groom.

After a search of the area, police found Joe in the backyard of a house on the next block; he had suffered severe blunt force trauma to the head. He was rushed to the hospital where he died from his injuries.

The subsequent investigation led police to brothers Rony and Josue Castaneda Ramirez, who were arrested under suspicion of murder on Sunday afternoon.

According to Sgt. Dustin Tomicic, speaking to KTLA, the 28-year-old Rony and his 19-year-old brother showed up uninvited to the party and got violent. What, if any, connection Joe had to the two men accused of taking his life remains under investigation.

Melgoza’s family have set up a GoFundMe to raise money for his next of kin in the wake of the tragedy. The page describes Joe as “a loving son, brother, father, cousin, partner, family member and friend.”

“He always had a way to make you smile. He was there for you at anytime to give a helping hand. He was taken from us in such a tragic and horrific way.”

The post also reveals Joe had a daughter, making all this even more tragic…

“He leaves behind his daughter Lilly who will be in good hands with Joe’s family. We are asking for your support in this time for Joe’s services and for his little girl Lilly.”

The page continues:

“Isela, Joe’s mom is devastated, heartbroken and is having a hard time processing it all.”

Yeah, we can imagine. No, scratch that. We actually literally cannot imagine… it’s just too horrible.

[Image via GoFundMe/Chino Police Department.]