Almost four years after authorities found him crying over the body of Luis Garcia, Brandon Castiglione is heading to trial for the man’s death.
Castiglione, now 28, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder, for knowingly and recklessly shooting Garcia, a 60-year-old minister, in the neck, causing his death. Castiglione, who was 24 years old and living with his father in Londonderry, New Hampshire, at the time, would often get together to pray with Garcia, who lived in Manchester. The New England Pentecostal Ministries pastor was shot and killed in Castiglione’s home sometime after 2 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2019.
A seemingly related shooting took place just over a week later, on Oct. 12, 2019, during a wedding ceremony at a church in Pelham, some 12 miles south of Londonderry. Dale Holloway, Luis Garcia’s stepson, is charged with first-degree assault for shooting three people at the ceremony, including Mark Castiglione — the defendant’s father and the groom at the wedding that day. A trial date has yet to be set for Holloway.
Castiglione’s mental competency was brought into question in the beginning stages of the case, but he refused to participate in an evaluation. In March, a judge determined the defendant did not need to be reevaluated ahead of the trial.
Castiglione’s trial is slated to last up to two weeks and he faces up to life in prison if convicted.
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