Wedding crashers kill groom in fight, police say

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

A family should be celebrating a wedding but instead is planning the funeral for a groom.

Police said Joe Melgoza was beaten to death during his wedding reception early Sunday morning, KTLA reported.

KNBC said Melgoza was protecting partygoers when he was attacked after asking two wedding crashers to leave.

Rony Castañeda Ramirez and Josue Castañeda Ramirez, two brothers, were not invited to the party following the wedding but attended anyway, officials told KTLA.

Family members told KNBC the men returned with baseball bats to the home where the party was being held, pulled him into the house and beat him.

Melgoza died at a local hospital, police said.

Police said Melgoza died of blunt force trauma to the head, KTLA reported.

Police are trying to find out how the Castañeda Ramirez brothers knew the newlyweds. Both were arrested Sunday afternoon and are being held without bail, accused of murder, KTLA reported.

Melgoza leaves behind his bride and an 11-year-old daughter whom he had full custody of.

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