Pasadena Man Held Since 2022 in Teen’s Killing Due for Pretrial Hearing Wednesday

A Pasadena man who has been held in custody on $4 million bail since January 2022 in the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy is scheduled to appear Wednesday morning for a pretrial hearing in Pasadena Courthouse.

Alexis Ibarra, who has pleaded not guilty, is charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder in the Jan. 18, 2022, shooting of Damian Issak Montoya near the intersection of Los Robles Avenue and Eldora Road, according to the criminal complaint reported by Pasadena Now. The hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. in Department F at 300 E. Walnut St.

Ibarra, a Pasadena resident who was 24 at the time, was arrested Jan. 19, 2022 — the day after the shooting — in the 600 block of Mar Vista Avenue, Pasadena police said. Online jail records cited by Pasadena Now indicate he has remained in custody since.

According to the Pasadena Police Department, the driver of a white Toyota in which Montoya was sitting in the front passenger seat drove north on Los Robles Avenue after the shooting and, by chance, encountered Pasadena Fire Department paramedics on an unrelated call; the driver flagged them down for help. Paramedics began treatment in the 1600 block of N. Los Robles Avenue around 3 p.m. and summoned police. Detectives later determined Montoya was shot at the intersection of Los Robles Avenue and Eldora Road. Paramedics transported him to Huntington Memorial Hospital, where he died two days later.

The attempted murder count relates to the driver, a 20-year-old West Covina resident who was not struck. The criminal complaint includes an allegation that Ibarra personally used a handgun, according to Pasadena Now’s coverage.

Pasadena police initially described the case as a “criminal gang incident,” Lt. Keith Gomez of the Robbery/Homicide Unit said in a 2022 statement. The white Toyota matched the description of a vehicle reportedly involved in a robbery and shooting near Villa Parke on Jan. 16, 2022, and detectives were working to determine if the incidents were connected.

Describing the emergency response, Gomez told Fox 11 Los Angeles: “The driver of our victim told them one of my passengers has been shot, needs some help. The firefighters went over, began providing medical treatment to the victim and ultimately transported that victim to Huntington Memorial Hospital.”

The Pasadena branch of the District Attorney’s Office charged Ibarra on Jan. 21, 2022, Pasadena Now reported. Ibarra entered his not-guilty plea at arraignment May 12, 2022; DA’s Office spokesperson Ricardo Santiago told Pasadena Now at the time that Ibarra was also charged with one count of attempted murder involving the driver. Prior pretrial hearings in Department F were held Feb. 5, 2024, and Oct. 8, 2024.

The shooting occurred in what was then Pasadena City Council District 3, represented by Councilmember John Kennedy. In a statement the night of the charges, Kennedy said: “Every life is precious. No doubt that a family is grieving because of the loss of someone so young.”

The case number, presiding judge, and defense counsel were not available in publicly accessible court coverage. Court contact is 626-396-3323. As of the most recent publicly reported docket activity, a trial date has not been set.