Heartbreaking Tragedy: Boyfriend Kills Ex-Girlfriend and Her Two Young Sons in Arson Attack

Jose Carmen Cardona pleaded guilty to murder and arson charges after setting fire to his ex-girlfriend's home, killing her and her two children.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 10:19pm

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A California man named Jose Carmen Cardona pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and other charges after he broke into his ex-girlfriend Lizbeth Gutierrez-Salazar's father's home in Stockton, California and set it on fire, killing Gutierrez-Salazar and her two young sons Juan, 10, and Julian, 7. Gutierrez-Salazar had broken up with Cardona just a day earlier, and he retaliated by committing this horrific act of violence.

Why it matters

This tragic case highlights the devastating consequences of domestic violence and the urgent need for better support systems and intervention programs to protect victims and their families from abusive partners. It also raises questions about bail reform and whether the criminal justice system is doing enough to prevent such senseless acts of violence.

The details

According to prosecutors, Cardona broke into the home where Gutierrez-Salazar and her sons were staying after she broke up with him on June 24, 2024. The next morning, firefighters responded to a blaze at the home and found Gutierrez-Salazar and her two sons dead inside. Gutierrez-Salazar's 14-year-old son, who survived, told investigators he saw Cardona inside the home before it was engulfed in flames. Cardona was arrested days later and has now pleaded guilty to the murders and arson charges.

  • On June 24, 2024, Lizbeth Gutierrez-Salazar broke up with her boyfriend Jose Carmen Cardona after two years of dating.
  • At 6:17 a.m. on June 25, 2024, the Stockton Fire Department responded to a fire at the home where Gutierrez-Salazar and her sons were staying.
  • Cardona was arrested on July 11, 2024 after the fire was deemed arson and he was identified as the suspect.

The players

Jose Carmen Cardona

A California man who pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and other charges after breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home and setting it on fire, killing her and her two young sons.

Lizbeth Gutierrez-Salazar

A 32-year-old woman who was killed in the arson attack along with her two sons, after breaking up with her boyfriend Cardona a day earlier.

Juan Gutierrez-Salazar

Lizbeth Gutierrez-Salazar's 10-year-old son who was killed in the arson attack.

Julian Cardona-Gutierrez

Lizbeth Gutierrez-Salazar's 7-year-old son who was killed in the arson attack.

Lizbeth Gutierrez-Salazar's 14-year-old son

The sole survivor of the arson attack, who told investigators he saw Cardona inside the home before it was engulfed in flames.

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What they’re saying

“Today, we have secured a measure of justice for Lizbeth Gutierrez-Salazar and her two innocent young sons, Juan and Julian, whose lives were brutally taken in an act of unimaginable cruelty while they slept in their own home.”

— Ron Freitas, San Joaquin County District Attorney

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow Cardona to be released on bail while he awaits sentencing.

The takeaway

This heartbreaking case underscores the urgent need for better domestic violence prevention and intervention programs to protect vulnerable victims and their families from abusive partners. It also raises difficult questions about bail reform and whether the criminal justice system is doing enough to prevent such senseless acts of violence.