Cops: Woman beaten by ex and current boyfriend at same time

A woman was beaten by her ex boyfriend and her current boyfriend simultaneously early Saturday morning and after the men were arrested, a district court judge allowed both of them to walk free on signature bail, according to police.

The 28-year-old victim was living with her current boyfriend, Jose Garcia-Canto, 29, on Larchwood Avenue near Keystone in Upper Darby, when her ex boyfriend, Mario Guitarrero, 28, showed up at the couple's house around 2 a.m. Saturday, said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood.

Guitarrero allegedly showed Garcia-Canto photographs of the victim engaged in a sexual acts with another man and both men began to beat the woman, Chitwood said.

Police were called to the house by a crying woman and found all three individuals in or near the residence. The victim was inside crying with bruises and marks on her body, Chitwood said.

According to police, this is not the first time Guitarrero has laid his hands on the victim. On Christmas day, when he and the victim were still dating, he allegedly knocked her out with a punch and was charged with simple assault by police.

The current status of that case was not immediately clear, however Chitwood said Guitarrero was given a $30,000 bail in that case and was allowed to sign for it without putting up collateral. Chitwood said the same thing happened this past Saturday, despite pleas from his detective, Thomas Thompson, to district court Judge Robert D'Agostino for a high bail.

Chitwood said Thompson told D'Agostino that Guitarrero had recently been arrested for a similar crime against the woman and that he was in the country illegally, but D'Agostino still allowed him to walk free on signature bail. D'Agostino does not typically handle cases out of Upper Darby but was the on-call district judge this weekend in Delaware County.

"His actions were unconscionable, irresponsible and inconceivable," Chitwood said of the judge. "If you feel that way, take them  back to Marple and let them live in your community!"

D'Agostino did not immediately return a call for comment.

Both Guitarrero and Garcia-Canto were charged with simple assault, harassment and related offenses.