Woman, her mother shot, killed during child custody exchange in Moreno Valley

Mother, grandmother killed over child custody dispute

A man is accused of killing his ex-wife and her mother over what is believed to have stemmed from a child custody dispute.

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. - A woman and her mother are both dead in a shooting stemming from an alleged child custody dispute in the Inland Empire.

Last week, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department found 36-year-old Esmeralda Casillas, of El Cajon, and her mother 68-year-old Ofelia Casillas shot in a car in Moreno Valley. Both women were later pronounced dead at the hospital.

FOX 11 was told the shooting stemmed from a child custody exchange last Friday. Both Esmeralda and Ofelia Casillas were getting ready to drop off Esmeralda's two twin sons to the younger Casillas' ex-boyfriend, as the custody exchange is scheduled to take place every Friday.

Following the shooting, authorities arrested Salvador Velasquez, the father of the twin boys and Esmeralda Casillas' ex-boyfriend, in connection to the double murder.

FOX 11 was told Velasquez's parents are now taking care of the twin boys, a news that leaves Esmeralda Casillas' relatives concerned.

"We have the possibility that something bad happened to these kids," said Adriana Toledo, a relative of Esmeralda Casillas.

The family says they are talking with Child Protective Services on how the twin boys' custody situation will be handled moving forward.

Anyone with information on the double homicide is asked to call investigators at either 951-955-2777 or 951-486-6700.