INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THAT FIRE IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES, THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING A MOTHER AND HER TWO SONS IN STOCKTON WILL RETURN TO THE COURTROOM. 59 YEAR OLD JOSE CARDONA IS FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES, INCLUDING MURDER. HE IS ACCUSED OF SETTING FIRE TO A MOBILE HOME WHERE LISBETH GUTIERREZ SALAZAR AND HER SEVEN AND TEN YEAR OLD SONS WERE SLEEPING BACK IN JUNE. CARDONA HAD BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH SALAZAR FOR YEARS. THEY MOVED TO CALIFORNIA FROM TEXAS BACK IN MARCH, AND PROSECUTORS SAY HE DELIBERATELY SET FIRE TO THEIR HOME WHILE THE THREE WERE SLEEPING. CARDONA WAS ARRESTED AFTER NEARLY TWO WEEKS ON THE RUN. POLICE BELIEVE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE TO MEXICO. CARDON
Man accused of killing Stockton family by setting mobile home on fire appears in court
![KCRA logo]()
Updated: 9:56 AM PST Dec 23, 2024
The man accused of killing three people in Stockton by setting fire to their mobile home while they were sleeping appeared in court Monday.José Carmen Cardona, 59, faces murder, attempted murder, torture and child cruelty charges in connection with the June 25, 2024, killings. Following the fire, he tried to evade law enforcement, leading to a weeks-long search for him before officers took him into custody in Modesto.Crews who responded to the fire at Visalia Court and Harbor Street found the bodies of 32-year-old Lisbeth Gutierrez-Salazar, 6-year-old Juan Gutierrez-Salazar and 10-year-old Julian Cardona-Gutierrez.The San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office said another child managed to escape the fire. Cardona is not the father of any of the children, but he had a previous romantic relationship with Lisbeth. They had moved from Texas to California three months before the fire.Cardona is eligible for the death penalty, according to the district attorney's office, but Gov. Gavin Newsom has placed a moratorium preventing executions.Cardona is continuing his arraignment, and a trial date has not been set yet. He is ineligible for bail.A fundraiser remains underway to support the family.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
STOCKTON, Calif. — The man accused of killing three people in Stockton by setting fire to their mobile home while they were sleeping appeared in court Monday.
José Carmen Cardona, 59, faces murder, attempted murder, torture and child cruelty charges in connection with the June 25, 2024, killings. Following the fire, he tried to evade law enforcement, leading to a weeks-long search for him before officers took him into custody in Modesto.
Crews who responded to the fire at Visalia Court and Harbor Street found the bodies of 32-year-old Lisbeth Gutierrez-Salazar, 6-year-old Juan Gutierrez-Salazar and 10-year-old Julian Cardona-Gutierrez.
The San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office said another child managed to escape the fire. Cardona is not the father of any of the children, but he had a previous romantic relationship with Lisbeth. They had moved from Texas to California three months before the fire.
Cardona is eligible for the death penalty, according to the district attorney's office, but Gov. Gavin Newsom has placed a moratorium preventing executions.
Cardona is continuing his arraignment, and a trial date has not been set yet. He is ineligible for bail.
A fundraiser remains underway to support the family.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
