SAN ANTONIO, TX – In a tragic culmination of violence and unresolved tensions, a Texas man has been arrested and charged with murder, following the fatal shooting of his ex-girlfriend in what authorities describe as a retaliatory act connected to prior domestic violence allegations.

Damen Carrillo, 26, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 24-year-old Ghabriella Barrera. The shooting occurred on Feb. 15 while Barrera was driving home from work on the southwest side of San Antonio, court documents confirm.

Months of uncertainty clouded the investigation as police searched for the perpetrator. This uncertainty was resolved with Carrillo’s arrest earlier this week, shedding light on the tragic events leading up to Barrera’s death.

According to an affidavit, Carrillo had allegedly threatened Barrera the night before the shooting, with family members reporting that he demanded she drop domestic violence charges filed against him the previous year. On Nov. 15, 2024, Carrillo had been arrested for allegedly assaulting Barrera, and later released under the condition to maintain no contact with her.

In the days leading up to the shooting, investigators revealed that Carrillo had sent threatening text messages to Barrera, demanding the removal of a video allegedly showing him threatening her with a gun. “You work today right? If the video don’t come down, I’m pulling up,” Carrillo allegedly messaged her through social media.

Barrera was found deceased after her vehicle crashed near railroad tracks, with an autopsy revealing she sustained multiple gunshot wounds. “Nobody should die that way,” Barrera’s grandmother lamented, expressing confusion and grief regarding her granddaughter’s untimely death. She described Barrera as helpful and caring to those around her.

Key details emerged from witness accounts and surveillance footage which linked Carrillo to the crime. Co-workers reported a black truck suspiciously parked near the workplace on the day of the murder, and surveillance corroborated this, capturing the truck’s hurried departure as Barrera left work. This vehicle, a black Ford F-150, was registered to a family member of Carrillo, leading investigators to search and seize the truck. Inside, they discovered shell casings matching those found at the crime scene.

Additionally, cellphone data placed Carrillo in the vicinity of Barrera’s death around the time of the incident, further implicating him in the murder.

Following his arrest, a Bexar County judge has ordered Carrillo to remain on house arrest and prohibited him from possessing firearms as the investigation and legal proceedings continue.