On the morning of May 4, 2025, a violent domestic dispute in southeast Austin ended with the death of 15-year-old Neithan Jadiel Montenegro-Chavarria. The incident began when 38-year-old Victor Javier Orellana-Carranza arrived at a home in the 5700 block of Hammermill Run looking for his two-year-old son. Inside were the child’s mother, her 16-year-old son, and Neithan, a Hispanic male friend of that son.

Investigators say Orellana-Carranza assaulted the child’s mother, and the 16-year-old and Neithan intervened. After a brief altercation, Orellana-Carranza left but threatened to return. He came back armed and opened fire on the two teenagers, striking Neithan. Austin officers responding to a 911 call at about 6:41 a.m. found Neithan with apparent gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:08 a.m. The shooting was investigated as Austin’s 24th homicide of 2025.

Police tracked Orellana-Carranza as he attempted to flee the country and arrested him later that day; he was charged with first-degree murder. Does anyone have information about Neithan, his activities that morning, or the neighborhood around Hammermill Run?