Two men have been charged in connection with a fatal shooting that claimed the life of Erik Tijerina in Austin last year. The Austin Police Department (APD) reported that Johnny Ybarra, 34, and Manuel Medina, 37, are now facing murder charges for the incident that occurred in the early hours of December 13, 2024, on the 500 block of Thrasher Lane, which led to Tijerina's death.
The investigation revealed that during the incident, an exchange of gunfire took place, in which Tijerina, who was present at the scene, was fatally injured. Ybarra was previously taken into custody on the same day as the shooting. He was initially charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, according to the official release from the City of Austin.
Following the release of an arrest warrant on June 19, 2025, the murder charge was added for both suspects. While Ybarra had already been detained, Medina was arrested on June 25 and subsequently charged with murder. Authorities have indicated that no further suspects are believed to be involved in this case. The APD continues to treat this as an active investigation and urges anyone with more information to step forward.
On the fateful morning, APD officers responded to a report of a shooting and discovered Tijerina unresponsive with gunshot wounds. Despite being transported to a hospital, he succumbed to his injuries two days later. The APD has been processing evidence and interviewing witnesses ever since to construct a clear narrative of the tragic events that transpired. Tips can be reported to Austin Police at 512-974-TIPS or through Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS. This incident is marked as Austin's 69th homicide of 2024.
