Man Accused of Killing TikTok Star Anthony Barajas in Movie Theater Enters Insanity Plea

The California man who is accused of killing TikTok star Anthony Barajas, 19, and his friend Rylee Goodrich, 18, inside a movie theater in July has entered an insanity plea, NBC News reported.

Joseph Jimenez (age 20) appeared Monday at Riverside Hall of Justice to answer his charges. His lawyers filed two pleas for him — not guilty and guilty on grounds of insanity, in connection with the shooting deaths of two teenage boys, NBC News reported.

John Hall, a spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, said that Jimenez’s attorneys made two different not guilty pleas because there would be two phases if the case goes to trial, which are a guilt phase and a phase to determine whether Jimenez was insane, CBS News reported.

CBS News reported that attorneys will return to court on Tuesday, October 22, to discuss the appointment a defense psychiatrist.

Jimenez faces two counts of murder and special circumstance allegations of lying in wait, which, in California, makes him eligible for the death penalty if he is convicted, ABC 7 reported.

Barajas and Goodrich were at a theater in Corona, California, taking in a screening of the horror thriller, “The Forever Purge,” when they were shot, cops said. After the film, theater staff discovered them with gunshot wounds.

According to the DA’s charges documents, the victims were shot in the head.

Goodrich died on the spot, while Barajas passed away days later after being taken off life support.

Jimenez was arrested days later. He later gave an interview following his arrest to the Press-Enterprise, where he said he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and wasn’t taking his medication at the time of the shooting.

According to CBS News, Barajas was well-known on social media as itsanthonymichael. He had almost 1 million followers on TikTok.

Goodrich, the father of Jimenez, confronted her daughter’s accused killer at court during Jimenez’s August arraignment.

“Look at me, bro. Look at me!” David heard David saying something to Jimenez while he was being led away by handcuffs.

“When he walked by me, it was just pure rage,” Inside Edition reported that David Goodrich said this to Inside Edition in August. “I couldn’t even think of the words to say, but I knew that I had a window, and I just wanted him to look at me.”

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