Woman Posted Threat Video—Now Ex-Boyfriend Charged with Murder

A Texas man has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder nearly three months after allegedly killing his ex-girlfriend when she refused to remove a video from social media that showed him threatening her with a gun. According to court documents reviewed by Law&Crime, Damen Carrillo, 26, was taken into custody on Monday in connection with the February 15 shooting death of 24-year-old Ghabriella Barrera, who was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside her crashed vehicle on San Antonio’s southwest side.

“If the video don’t come down I’m pulling up,” Carrillo allegedly messaged Barrera via Facebook Messenger on the day of her murder, as detailed in the arrest affidavit. The breakthrough arrest comes after an extensive investigation that included surveillance footage, shell casing evidence, and cellphone records that placed Carrillo at the scene of the crime, according to authorities.

Prior Domestic Violence History Led to Fatal Confrontation

Court records obtained by investigators reveal a troubling pattern of escalating threats and violence leading up to Barrera’s murder. Reporting from KENS5 indicates that Carrillo had previously been arrested on November 15, 2024, for allegedly assaulting Barrera and was released with conditions that included having no contact with her.

Despite this court order, family members informed police that Carrillo threatened to kill Barrera the night before the shooting if she did not drop the family violence charges against him. The situation intensified when Barrera posted a video on social media that reportedly showed Carrillo threatening her with a handgun—digital evidence that appears to have been the final trigger for the fatal attack, with Carrillo allegedly sending multiple threatening messages demanding she remove the video shortly before the shooting.

Meticulous Investigation Led to Breakthrough Arrest

For months, the case remained unsolved as investigators methodically pieced together evidence. KSAT highlights how a breakthrough came when coworkers reported seeing a suspicious black truck near Barrera’s workplace on the day she was killed.

Surveillance footage confirmed these accounts, showing a black Ford F-150 parked near the victim’s workplace that later followed her at high speed as she left work. The investigation further intensified when the truck was located in Poteet, approximately 30 miles south of San Antonio. When executing a search warrant, authorities discovered 9mm shell casings inside the vehicle that matched those found at the crime scene. Additionally, cellphone records placed Carrillo near the location of the shooting at the time it occurred, providing investigators with crucial evidence for the arrest.

Victim Remembered as Helpful and Caring

As the investigation progressed, local television station KSAT interviewed Barrera’s family, who publicly mourned her loss while pleading for information about her killer. “Nobody should die that way,” Barrera’s grandmother, Alma Hernandez, told reporters in February, shortly after the murder. “She was taken away for reasons we don’t even know.”

When asked to describe her granddaughter to those who didn’t know her, Hernandez provided a simple yet poignant characterization: “She was there to help as much as she could.” Following Monday’s arrest, the family has yet to make a public statement regarding the charges against Carrillo.

Legal Proceedings and Domestic Violence Resources

During Tuesday’s court hearing, a Bexar County judge placed Carrillo on full house arrest and ordered him not to possess firearms. Court records examined by local media show his bond has been set at $300,000. If convicted of first-degree murder, Carrillo could face life in prison.

In response to this case, law enforcement officials have highlighted the dangers of domestic violence and the importance of available resources. Throughout their coverage of the arrest, news organizations have shared information about support services, including the Bexar County Family Justice Center and Family Violence Prevention Services, which operates the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter. Public safety experts continue to emphasize that victims of domestic violence should reach out for help before situations escalate to violence.