A 22-year-old man faces a first-degree murder charge in relation to a 2022 incident, where prosecutors allege the victim was lured into a fatal situation disguised as a Facebook gun transaction.
Cook County Judge James Murphy III ordered the detention of Ener Rodriguez, marking him as the third individual charged in the August 1, 2022, murder of Irving Ibarez, 18, in the Galewood neighborhood on Chicago’s Northwest Side.
Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Rauch explained that Daniel Barbosa, 16 at the time and released pretrial for two juvenile gun charges, allegedly used Facebook to set up a $400 gun sale with Ibarez, even offering free bullets. Barbosa directed Ibarez to meet him at Natchez and Dickens at 7 p.m. to finalize the deal.
Rauch claims it was a trap. The alleged plan involved Barbosa, Rodriguez, and then-18-year-old Alexsandro Hernandez robbing Ibarez at the rendezvous point. Hernandez was out on bail for an adult gun charge at the time.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured Barbosa entering the front passenger seat of Ibarez’s car at the meeting location. Four minutes later, a white Nissan Murano with concealed license plates arrived beside them, with Rodriguez allegedly behind the wheel, according to Rauch.
Rauch stated that Hernandez exited the Murano’s passenger side and approached Ibarez’s door armed with a gun. Spotting Hernandez and the weapon, Ibarez attempted to reverse his car. As this happened, Barbosa allegedly shot him once in the chest from the passenger seat, resulting in his death.
Barbosa and Hernandez then reportedly fled back to the Murano, with Rodriguez driving away, Rauch added.
Chicago police detectives traced the group’s actions leading up to the shooting using surveillance footage. Approximately 25 minutes prior to the shooting, the Murano was filmed arriving at an AutoZone where Hernandez used to work. Rauch stated that Hernandez entered the store to purchase masks and gloves, while wearing the same outfit seen at the crime scene. Ten minutes later, another camera reportedly caught Barbosa stepping out of the Murano to obscure its license plates.
Hernandez later admitted to investigators that he had “multiple guns” inside the Murano and pointed one at Ibarez’s car during the failed robbery, according to Rauch. Prosecutors indicated that Hernandez subsequently disposed of the weapon in a lake.
Rodriguez was initially arrested in connection with the murder on September 7, 2022, as stated by Rauch. When officers attempted to stop him while driving the Murano, he attempted to flee, resulting in a crash and his arrest. He was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, ultimately pleading guilty to a misdemeanor, but was not charged with murder until now.
Detectives seized a phone from Rodriguez during that arrest. Rauch mentioned that location data from the device placed him at the murder scene and other significant locations related to the case.
