Barton Creek Escape Turns Deadly for Young Couple

What began as a simple Saturday getaway to Barton Creek ended in tragedy, leaving two families searching for answers. Twenty‑year‑old Manuela Vanegas and twenty‑three‑year‑old Jermaine Jerrington Ingram were returning to Unitedville after an afternoon by the water when gunmen ambushed them, cutting their lives short in an instant. Tonight, heartbreak is giving way to hard questions: Ingram’s loved ones believe he was deliberately targeted, while Vanegas’ family says she was an innocent bystander who never saw danger coming. News Five’s Paul Lopez headed west to speak with both families, here’s what he found.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

A Saturday hangout along Barton Creek ended in tragedy when twenty‑year‑old Manuela Vanegas and twenty‑three‑year‑old Jerrington Ingram were gunned down on their walk back into Unitedville. The pair had spent the afternoon cooling off by the creek with two others, but about fifteen minutes into their hike home, a gunman waited near the bridge and opened fire, killing them on the spot.

 

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“Preliminary investigation suggest that the victims may have returned from swimming at a nearby creek when they were accosted. The area was canvassed with a view to identify potential witnesses and to obtain video footage which we hope would be of assistance to the investigation.”

 

Vanegas’ brother told News Five his sister had only come to Unitedville for a quick visit with her cousin, and in a tragic twist, she and Ingram had only started seeing each other about three weeks ago.

 

Voice of: Brother of Deceased

“Basically to our understanding when she was coming from around the creek, around four to five, they were all coming together, but my cousin left ahead. And it was the gentlemen that died along with her. And to our understanding, after my cousin left, they heard seven gunshots. They ran back, so two bodies on the ground and ran home to call someone for assistance. But that is as much details as we got.”

 

Paul Lopez

“In terms of the relationship between your sister and Mr. Ingram, what was that like?”

 

Voice of: Brother of Deceased

“Well, first we thought it was a friendship, but my understanding is that they were seeing each other. They were starting out as boyfriend and girlfriend. That is as much as we know. We did know if they were actually together.”

 

Family members say Vanegas met Ingram through her cousin and insist she wasn’t the target, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Meanwhile, talk in the village hints that Ingram’s past may have put him at risk, but his sister rejects that claim, saying men in the area openly threatened to kill him.

 

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“He was and I am certain he was the intended target. The female, his girlfriend, innocent soul got taken away because she was associating with my brother. Jerrington was not a gang member, he was not a problem child. Anybody who knows him personally knows he was a quiet child. But he was the intended target. Threats were made, threats were sent two weeks prior.”

 

Jerrington’s sister says a brawl at the community center weeks ago sparked rumors that he was involved, rumors the family denies, but they claim one relative of the men in that fight vowed revenge and named Jerrington as a target, and despite their repeated warnings, police never stepped in.

 

Voice of: Sister of Deceased

“These set of kids are being protected by the police. These set of kids are being protected by San Ignacio Police. Whatever bond they have with San Ignacio Police nothing will happen. I am telling you this and you will listen to this how many years. nothing will come out of this. My brother will die, done die, rotten and these boys will kill, kill, kill, because they will walk free. These police don’t listen.”

 

Tonight, two families are grieving, one saying their son’s death could have been prevented, and the other mourning a young woman who was killed simply because she was with the wrong person at the wrong time.

 

Voice of: Brother of Deceased

“To be honest my sister does not have any criminal past. She does not have any type of bad blood with anyone. So, the only thing to our understanding is that it is just somebody else past that came back at them and she was just there at the wrong time. She was quite charismatic, kindhearted, she was outspoken and loved to state her opinions.”

 

The families of Manuela Vanegas and Jermaine Ingram are left with unanswered questions and a deep sense of injustice. Authorities are yet to establish a motive. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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