Suspect led officers to two male victims found near Guadalupe River
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office and San Jose police are investigating what prosecutors say may be the start of a possible serial-killer case after a 28-year-old man led officers to two dead bodies in the city’s popular river park system.
According to a police report and comments from the District Attorney's Office, Marcelino Castro told investigators he had murdered someone and then directed officers to two male bodies recovered near the Guadalupe River. One victim was found in a shallow grave near Tamien Station; the other was discovered wrapped in a red tent near the Guadalupe River Trail north of Coleman Avenue.
Deputy District Attorney Michael Gadeberg told SFGATE that although only two victims have been confirmed so far, investigators are treating the case as potentially broader in scope.
"Although there's only two victims it looks like the start of a possible serial killer case and I'm grateful he turned himself in before he continued,"Gadeberg said. He added that additional bodies may yet be located.
Charges, alleged timeline and details
Castro has been charged with two counts of murder and was expected to be arraigned Thursday, the DA’s office said. Charging documents list a south San Jose address as Castro's residence. Prosecutors said the suspect’s motive remains unclear.
Details in the police report describe two separate incidents. Castro allegedly told officers he knew the first victim and accompanied him to the area near Tamien Station to smoke methamphetamine. The report says Castro then strangled the man, slit his throat and buried the body in a shallow grave.
For the second victim, Castro is reported to have "lured" a person to a different stretch of the Guadalupe River Trail to smoke before killing the man by strangulation and striking him with a rock. That body was wrapped in a red tent and left in tall grass, the report says.
Prosecutors said they believe the first killing occurred on Sept. 13 and the second took place on either Sept. 15 or Sept. 16. Neither victim has been publicly identified.
Community impact and ongoing investigation
Authorities have not released other identifying details about the victims, and investigators are continuing efforts to determine whether there are additional victims and whether the same suspect may be tied to other unsolved deaths in the area. Gadeberg outlined a possible progression in the suspect’s conduct:
"It appears that this man may have just had a compulsion to kill and he started with someone he knew and then progressed to a random stranger,"he told SFGATE.
The discovery of the bodies in areas frequented by residents and commuters — including near Tamien Station, a neighborhood transit hub — has heightened concern among locals who use the river trails and parks for recreation and travel. San Jose police and county prosecutors declined to speculate publicly about additional motives or connections until investigators complete interviews and forensic work.
- Suspect: Marcelino Castro, 28, listed at a south San Jose address on charging documents
- Charges: Two counts of murder
- Locations: Near Tamien Station (shallow grave) and Guadalupe River Trail north of Coleman Avenue (wrapped in red tent)
- Alleged dates: First killing Sept. 13; second killing Sept. 15 or 16
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Victims identified | No |
| Possible additional victims | Yes, under investigation |
| Arraignment | Expected Thursday (per DA) |
Officials have appealed for patience while investigators complete interviews, search efforts and forensic examinations. Anyone with information about suspicious activity along the Guadalupe River, park trails, or around Tamien Station on or around the reported dates is asked to contact San Jose police or the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
As the case proceeds, the DA’s office and police said they will provide updates to the public. For now, prosecutors emphasize the preliminary nature of the investigation and caution that additional evidence could change the current understanding of the incidents.
