A man accused of killing a woman and her two young children in Stockton, California, in late June was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) over the weekend, according to authorities.

The suspect, identified as Jose Carmen Cardona, a 59-year-old Hispanic male, has been charged with three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of child endangerment, San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas said in a statement on July 12.

At a news conference on July 13, Mr. Freitas said the circumstances of the alleged crime make Mr. Cardona eligible for capital punishment.

“The office of the district attorney has filed three special circumstances, multiple murder, arson, and torture. These allegations make the defendant eligible for the death penalty,” he said.

While capital punishment is still technically on the books in California, it isn’t currently used in the state after Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions in 2019.

Details of the Crime

Mr. Cardona was taken into custody at approximately 4:30 p.m. on July 11 after the USMS received a tip that the suspect had been seen near a bus station in Modesto, California, the law enforcement agency said in a statement on July 12.

“Task force officers were able to locate him standing outside the bus station and took him into custody without incident,” the USMS said.

Authorities noted that they determined Mr. Cardona intended to flee northern California that evening, possibly to southern California.

The arrest was made about a week after the USMS elevated the investigation to “major case status” on July 2, and offered a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone able to provide information leading to Mr. Cardona’s arrest.

Mr. Cardona was wanted by Stockton police and the USMS for a triple homicide that happened on June 25.

He has been accused of intentionally setting fire to a mobile home camper in the morning of June 25, killing Lizbeth Josefina Gutiérrez, 33, and her two sons, Juan Gutierrez-Salazar, 10, and Julian Cardona-Gutierrez, 7, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office.

The suspect was in a dating relationship with Ms. Gutiérrez, but the children were not his biological children, the office noted.

One child was able to flee the fire and survived.

“On behalf of all law enforcement and fire suppression agencies involved, our deepest sympathies go out to the victims and family members of this horrendous crime,” Mr. Freitas said.

Lasha Boyden, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of California, said in a statement that the agency worked “countless hours and traveled great distances to locate this violent fugitive.”

“The loss of life in this horrific tragedy was felt by the community and our nation,” she said. “I hope his capture brings some sense of relief to the victims’ family.”

Mr. Cardona’s first court appearance is set for July 15, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office.

“The family of the victims have demanded justice,” Mr. Freitas said. “The Office of the District Attorney is fully committed to ensuring they receive that justice.”

From NTD News