Deputies said the suspect set fire to his own home before turning on a nearby family.
BEXAR COUNTY, TX — A 43-year-old Bexar County man was jailed after deputies said he set fire to his own home July 1, then attacked a nearby family with a blowtorch, cinder block and knife on the Northeast Side.
Jorge Medina Ibarra faces seven charges after the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said the attack damaged two homes, injured multiple people and forced a family with young children to flee. The case has moved from the emergency response stage to the criminal court process, with Ibarra booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on a combined $268,000 bond.
Deputies were called about 7:30 a.m. July 1 to the 6400 block of Manda Drive, where investigators said Ibarra had intentionally set fire to his own shared residence. The sheriff’s office said he then went to a separate home nearby and tried to burn through a window with a blowtorch. A father who lives at the home said his family had once treated Ibarra as a friend. “He was a demon,” the father said, describing the struggle. He said Ibarra laughed while threatening to kill the family and burn their home. The father, who asked not to be identified, said he could not understand why a neighbor who had been welcomed into family gatherings would turn violent.
The sheriff’s office said Ibarra first damaged the father’s truck, then moved toward the home while a mother and young children were inside. Investigators said he broke a front window and used the blowtorch on it while the family was in the house. The mother, who also asked not to be identified, said she and the children hid in a bathroom while her husband tried to keep Ibarra from getting inside. “My kids were crying and crying,” she said. Deputies said Ibarra later tried to force his way through the front door while threatening to kill the resident and the resident’s family. When that failed, investigators said, he went to the back of the home, picked up a cement cinder block and threw it through a child’s bedroom window.
The confrontation continued as the father tried to stop Ibarra from entering through the broken window, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies said Ibarra slashed the father with a knife on the back of his left arm. The father was taken to a local hospital for treatment. A woman who lived nearby and was related to the family arrived to help remove the children from the area, investigators said. Deputies said Ibarra attacked her as she was placing children in a vehicle, slammed her head into the ground and caused visible cuts to the back of her head along with injuries to her face and back. Other victims were evaluated and were expected to recover, officials said.
The family told reporters that Ibarra had been more than a stranger on the street. The mother said relatives had shared meals with him and invited him to children’s birthday parties before the attack. That history has made the violence harder for the family to process. The father said one of his children had not slept well since the incident and kept asking why it happened. The sheriff’s office has not released a possible motive. Officials also have not said whether investigators believe drugs, alcohol, a dispute or another factor played a role. The case remains centered on what deputies said they found at the scene, what witnesses reported and the injuries described in sheriff’s office records.
Ibarra was booked late July 1 on two counts of arson with intent to damage a habitation, both first-degree felonies. He also faces burglary of a habitation with intent to commit another felony, a first-degree felony, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony. Deputies also listed two counts of assault causing bodily injury and one count of criminal mischief causing $750 to $2,500 in damage, all Class A misdemeanors. Jail records cited in local reports showed Ibarra remained in custody the next day. Court proceedings will determine whether the case moves toward indictment, plea negotiations or trial.
The scene on Manda Drive left behind burned property, broken glass and shaken neighbors after what began as a fire call became a violent home attack investigation. The father said he fought to keep Ibarra out because his wife and children were nearby. “I was defending myself,” he said. “He was trying to kill me.” The mother said her family escaped because relatives and deputies arrived before the attack could go further. She said the children’s fear has remained after the physical danger ended. The family’s names were not released in reports, a step that kept the focus on the accusations and the criminal case rather than identifying victims who said they were still recovering.
As of the latest reports, Ibarra remained in the Bexar County jail while investigators continued documenting the fire, damage and injuries. The next major step is expected in court, where prosecutors will decide how to proceed on the felony and misdemeanor charges.
Author note: Last updated July 8, 2026.