On the morning of Sunday, May 4th, residents of the 5700 block of Hammermill Run in Austin experienced a tragic incident that resulted in the death of Neithan Jadiel Montenegro. According to a press release from the Austin Police Department, officers were dispatched to the scene following reports of a shooting and discovered Montenegro with gunshot wounds. Despite efforts to save him, Montenegro was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect, identified as Victor Javier Orellana-Carranza, was seeking to locate his two-year-old son, who lived at the residence with their mother and her 17-year-old son, the victim's friend. Orellana-Carranza initially assaulted the child’s mother, which prompted an intervention from the 17-year-old and Montenegro. This encounter escalated to a physical altercation., Afterward, Orellana-Carranza vowed to return and did so, this time with a firearm. In the subsequent shooting, Montenegro was struck, and the suspect fled.
Orellana-Carranza's attempts at escape were thwarted by swift police work by the APD Tactical Intelligence Unit, which pinpointed his location. The APD patrol mobilized quickly, coordinating multiple units to apprehend Orellana-Carranza before he could leave the country. He is now in custody at the Travis County Jail, facing charges of 1st Degree Murder.
The Austin Police Department has made a public appeal for anyone with relevant information to step forward and contact them at 512-974-TIPS, or to provide tips anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program. Information that leads to an arrest may attract a reward of up to $1,000. As the investigation into what is now classified as Austin's 24th homicide of 2025 continues, the community seeks answers and, at the very least, a semblance of justice for the loss of Montenegro.
