Pretrial Hearing Set for Man Charged in Fatal Shooting of Pasadena Teen

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Thursday, March 6, at 8:30 a.m. for Alexis Ibarra, who is charged with murder in connection with a 2022 shooting that left a 14-year-old Pasadena boy dead and another man injured.

The hearing will take place in Department F of the Pasadena Courthouse at 300 E. Walnut St.

Ibarra, 24, of Pasadena, faces charges of murder and attempted murder for the January 18, 2022, shooting that killed Damian Issak Montoya and reportedly wounded a 20-year-old man from West Covina.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Los Robles Avenue and Eldora Road in Pasadena. Paramedics, who were in the area on an unrelated call, were flagged down by a man driving a white Toyota. They found Montoya in the front passenger seat with a gunshot wound to the head.

Montoya was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and died two days later on January 20, 2022. Shortly after the initial incident, police received reports of another shooting victim, the 20-year-old man from West Covina, who was also shot at the same intersection.

Police arrested Ibarra on January 19, 2022, in the 600 block of Mar Vista Avenue in Pasadena. Authorities recovered a firearm and other evidence allegedly linking him to the shooting. Ibarra has remained in custody since his arrest with bail set at $4 million.

Detectives are investigating the shooting as a “criminal gang incident.”

The white Toyota in which Montoya was shot reportedly matched the description of a vehicle involved in a robbery and shooting near Villa Park in Pasadena on January 16, 2022, just two days before this incident. Investigators were working to determine if the two incidents were related.

Police quickly identified a suspect vehicle after the shooting, suggesting they may have had some form of visual information, possibly from witnesses or surveillance footage. While not a direct witness to the shooting, the driver of the white Toyota could potentially provide valuable information about the events leading up to and immediately following the incident.

Ibarra pleaded not guilty to the charges on May 12, 2022. The criminal complaint includes allegations that he personally used a handgun.

The case has been moving through the legal system for more than two years, with previous pretrial hearings scheduled for February 5 and October 8, 2024, as well as November 20, 2024. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office is prosecuting the case.

Authorities continue to seek additional information from the public as the investigation remains active, indicating there may be gaps in their evidence or witness accounts. Law enforcement often withholds specific details about evidence and witnesses during ongoing investigations.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Pasadena Police Department at (626) 744-4241 or anonymously report tips to “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-8477.