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Military veteran who shot up mother's home goes to trial next week

Mother claims son, Adan Castaneda, has PTSD

COMAL COUNTY, Texas – Maria Anna Esparza still can't believe her 27-year-old Marine sniper son, Adan Castaneda, shot at her home while she and her husband slept.

She said Adan had been home from Iraq for two years when the shooting happened. 

"He was a scout sniper for the U.S. Marines, so if he wanted us dead, he knew where we slept, he knew exactly where we were in the house, but that was not his intention," said Esparza.

According to police, Adan used his own .45 caliber gun and fired off 23 shots. They said he started shooting at the top of the house and worked his way down.

Castaneda has been diagnosed with Posttraumatic stress disorder. Next week he will stand trial for attempted murder of his mother and stepfather after shooting up their house back in May 2011. 

Castaneda enlisted voluntarily in the United States Marines after he graduated from high school. She feels the things he's seen and done has scarred him mentally. 

"They had to watch beheadings on their computers daily as part of their training," said Esparza.

Esparza said her son isn't an angry individual, but a veteran who has had mentally challenging issues as part of his wartime experience.

"I'm concerned he'll be sent away to prison for a very long time, and that's just not right, that's not just. He came back disabled."

His mother did write an Affidavit of Non Prosecution to the district attorney of Comal County.

She's asking her son be given the opportunity to get treatment for his PTSD instead of jail time. 

Adan Castaneda will go to trial in New Braunfels on June 24.