Three murder cases returned to court and continued
Yesterday was a busy day at the Joshua Tree Courthouse, with Judge James Taylor hearing cases from two different departments.
Miguel Ibarra returned to court for a Disposition and Reset Hearing after the most recent continuance on September 18. Ibarra is the suspect in the murder of Twentynine Palms resident Jervon Winston. San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputies issued a missing persons report for Winston nearly 5 years ago on October 5, 2021; his remains were located four days later in a remote location in Wonder Valley. Ibarra has remained in custody since his arrest in March of 2022.
District Attorney Jason Gueltzow represented the prosecution, and Attorney Jordan Ash represented the defense, appearing for Attorney Antonio Bestard on the Conflict Panel. A conflict panel is a group of private attorneys assigned to criminal cases when a conflict of interest exists between the defendant and the public defender’s office. Ash requested that the court continue the hearing due to Bestard’s trial availability, and Judge Taylor scheduled a Disposition and Reset Hearing for November 9.
Miguel Ibarra is charged with murder, with enhancements related to using a firearm and having prior felony convictions. He is currently held at the West Valley Detention Center on $2,000,000 bail.
An Early Disposition Hearing was held in the case of Lucy Barajas. On the afternoon of August 12, 2025, Yucca Valley residents Detrick Kelley and William Adams had pulled over their trucks and were standing on the shoulder of Old Woman Springs Road when Barajas struck them with her vehicle. Kelley was pronounced deceased at the scene; Adams sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. California Highway Patrol said that Barajas was intoxicated at the time of the crash; she was arrested at the scene and has remained in custody since.
Gueltzow represented the prosecution at yesterday’s hearing, and Attorney Steven Derelian represented the Conflict Panel. Derelian requested approval for Barajas to bring legal paperwork back and forth to court with her. Judge Taylor permitted the request, and scheduled another Early Disposition Hearing for December 9.
Lucy Barajas is charged with murder, gross vehicular manslaughter, and driving under the influence of alcohol, with enhancements for causing brain damage or paralysis and great bodily injury. She is currently held at the West Valley Detention Center on $1,250,000 bail.
The court also held an Early Disposition Hearing in the case of Nicholas Lee, who is the suspect in the murder of Michael Ramos Jr., a Yucca Valley teenager. On the evening of December 21, 2025, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a shooting at a party in Yucca Valley. Upon their arrival, they found Ramos suffering from a critical gunshot wound; he was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs and, on December 26, was taken off life support and died from his injuries. Lee was identified as the suspect and arrested the night of the shooting. He has remained in detention and has since been charged in a separate case with attempted murder of another inmate.
At yesterday’s hearing, District Attorney Joseph Walsh represented the prosecution, and Derelian appeared for Bestard for the Conflict Panel. The attorneys stated that they were in the middle of discovery for the case, and Walsh told the court that both sides wanted to schedule a site visit to the location of the December shooting. Judge Taylor scheduled an Early Disposition Hearing for December 23.
Nicholas Lee is charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder related to a second victim in the Joshua Tree district case. He is currently held at the San Bernardino County Central Detention Center on $2,500,000 bail.
