A Rose from the Ashes

“Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.”  - Psalms 28:3

Four years ago back in the early summer on June 5, 2022. a family barbecue on Saginaw’s east side erupted into an argument between family members. Suddenly, three people lay shot in an area where they were partying in less than an hour prior.   All three were cousins and 24-years old. One cousin, Rafa, was pronounced dead at the scene with multiple gunshots and one shot to the head.

A second cousin, Laura, lay to the right of the steps leading to the front door as her sister, Sandra Escareno, held her head on her lap and waited for paramedics to arrive. She was almost 7 months pregnant. Sandra had stepped inside briefly for a moment when the shots rang out. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time was that the other cousin Mariano was on the side of the house and also pronounced dead. Police later determined he had tried to flee the scene and was shot in the back while trying to do so.  

While first responders attended to the victims, two more men showed up with gunshot wounds to a Saginaw hospital. Both were related to the family.  One was a criminal with a violent past who had served prison time for similar offenses, the other an illegal immigrant whose blood was found at the scene, but now claims victim status and may be able to stay in the US legally.

Police interviews show during the time no one in the family knew that Laura too had succumb to her injuries, leaving the surviving daughter Rosalina left to grow up in the family home without a Mother. She was brought into this world when Laura lost her life, even though Doctors were able to spare her daughter’s life.

Initially, after this tragic shooting spree occurred, police did not search or go after people who were within a few hundred feet when they arrived, even though the family had told them to do so. Months later an arrest was finally made of Juan Mireles - the first cousin whose Mother lives next door.  During the time he often would be seen driving by the house, as if admiring what had happened, feeling sure of himself to not be prosecuted.

This haunting scenario is the subject of documentary filmmaker Luka Dziubyna’s world premiere of his latest work, A Rose From the Ashes, which will debut on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 5-7^th at Saginaw’s Court Street Theater at 7:00 PM with a 5:00 PM Sunday matinee.   Through his lens we get a powerful portrait of a family that is still torn apart, with some members stepping up to face the convicted shooter as the slow pace of the legal system unfolds before our eyes.

Turmoil, Tragedy & Transcendence

“We were having a regular family summer barbecue and it was getting a little late,” recalls Sandra Escareno.  “People had been drinking and two of my cousins started arguing over something that happened 7 years ago. At that point I told them I think the night’s done, everybody needs to go home. My cousin Crystal’s son was getting upset and started staying stuff, and that’s Rafa went up towards him and asked what was going on, because he was ready to go home. That’s when things got heated so everybody left and the only ones here were my sister, Rafael, and Mariano, who were in the back cleaning because I walked my cousin Imelda next door to her Mom’s house.”

“After returning, I told them I would help clean-up but had to go inside quick to use the restroom,” she continues. “As I shut the door and took a couple steps to the restroom that’s when I heard 8 rounds go off. I didn't think twice, ran out the back door, and saw my sister laying there by the steps and Raphael by the garage. I didn’t know where he was until the cops told me that he was in between the houses.”

After nearly 3 years and multiple court hearings and trial delays, the family was finally able to face the convicted shooter in court as he took a plea deal. The day of the sentencing Mireles tried fighting the verdict again by trying to fire his lawyer and once again hold up the legal system. It was also the first time the family was told the Police had admitted they were looking at another shooter, as they know that 3 guns were used. Judge Darnell Jackson sentenced Mireles to a term of 10-30 years, even exclaiming this perhaps may be the only time he had ever heard of only one shooter with multiple people dead.  

As the film progresses, we follow the family as the surviving daughter Rosalina grows up in the family home without a Mother. Since this shocking and traumatic incident, she has had a stint put in her brain for swelling and has suffered seizures from the damage she endured from her injuries.

When asked about why it took three years to bring Mireles to justice, Sandra says it purportedly was because of a lack of evidence. “The reason they presented a plea-bargaining deal is because supposedly we didn’t have enough evidence,” she explains. “The police said they knew he wasn’t the only one there when the shooting occurred, but they didn’t have proof the other people involved were present, as there was only one witness out there cleaning with them, which was Brian, who went and talked with the detectives.”

Seeing as the police later admitted they were looking at another shooter and thought three guns were used, forging the basis for the plea-bargain, did they ever find the other shooter? “No”, she responds, “I honestly don’t think they did their job the way they were supposed to, because we went back and got all these videos and stuff and to us it appears so much proof is present, we just don’t understand why other people couldn’t get caught. But I guess you need proof like the actual gun, and all this other stuff that goes beyond circumstance.”

The Aftermath • A Rose from the Ashes

“I got pulled into this project because after the murders I saw the news article and Laura looked familiar to me even though I couldn't place it,” explains filmmaker Luka Dziubyna. “My family owned Cebulas Jewelry in Old Town Saginaw, and I bought coffee from her several times because she worked at The Bread Guy.  I even remember telling her congrats on being pregnant. I attended the funeral and had never been to a showing with 3-people simultaneously.”

“The story kept eating away at me,” he continues.  “The overall tragedy of not just people being shot and murdered, which happens all too often in Saginaw, but now a young girl who came into this world when her Mother was murdered. I think a few months went by before I contacted Josh Tello. He was Laura's fiancé and the Father of Baby Rosie. We met and I told him I was interested in telling this story. I soon met the family afterwards and they are absolutely lovely and amazing people.”

On the day this documentary debuts, little Rosie will be 4-years old. As it stands today, Sandra’s Mother has legal guardianship of the child but works during the days, so Sandra is with her 24/7. “She actually got a shunt in her from this incident to drain out the liquids from her brain and about 34-months ago started getting seizures, but now they are controlled with medicine. She’s been going  to therapy since she was born to help her crawl and learn to walk, but now thankfully she's doing really good.”

When asked her current feelings about this horrific experience in retrospect and her biggest takeaway from the incident, she refers to the constant vigilance placed upon the family to keep the perpetrator incarcerated.

“A month or so ago he tried to withdraw his plea bargain again because supposedly he said that he wasn’t in his right mind and didn’t know what was going go, so should receive less time in jail. That day we went to court the judge read off everything and said that he fully understood everything involved with his sentencing, because he said yes to all the terms presented, so the judge was not going to withdraw his please and he would continue to do his sentencing of 10 to 30 years. But he comes up again on parole, we will have to go back to keep him in there where he belongs.”

As for little Rosie, Sandra says she is progressing well. “She’s involved with other kids and is having a pretty normal childhood, and loves playing with kids. She gets all excited and calls everybody her friend, and is very friendly.”

Interestingly, the title of this film - A Rose From the Ashes - references the notion of one emerging stronger, more beautiful, or renewed after a total destruction, failure, or deep loss. It symbolizes triumph, resilience, and rebirth, suggesting how something positive and vibrant can grow from the remnants of a disaster. Luka notes how the title emanates from how all the victims were cremated, whereas “Rosie is just Rosie.”

“I decided that in addition to whatever good could come from making this film, as there is a therapeutic element involved when people share their stories and word gets out, I would also donate 100 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales towards starting a college and medical expense  fund for Rosie to be used in any way she would see fit.”

A Rose From the Ashes opens and runs at Saginaw’s Court Street Theatre, which is located at 1216 Court St. on June 5^th, which is  the anniversary of the murders and also Rosie’s birthday, and will also be shown on June 6^th & 7^th.

Tickets are $20.00 and can be purchased at the door or online by clicking this link.