Police found the unidentified victim inside a crashed vehicle Sunday and are investigating the case as Austin’s 39th homicide of 2026.
AUSTIN, TX — Austin police are searching for a suspect after an adult man was found dead inside a vehicle that had crashed into a fence in southeast Austin on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
Officers responded at about 2:58 p.m. Aug. 30 to a reported shooting or stabbing near the intersection of Briar Hill Drive and Woodland Avenue, according to the Austin Police Department. When officers arrived, they found a vehicle that had struck a fence and discovered the man inside with apparent trauma. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police had not publicly identified the victim or released the nature or cause of his injuries as of the latest department update. Investigators also had not announced a possible motive or described what led to the man’s death. The department is treating the case as a homicide, its 39th of 2026.
Witnesses reportedly told investigators they saw a suspect leaving the area shortly before officers arrived. Police described the person they are seeking as a young Hispanic male in his late teens to early 20s with a slender build, standing about 5 feet, 6 inches tall.
The suspect was last seen wearing a black long-sleeved top that covered his skin, black bottoms and a black backpack worn on his chest, according to police. No arrest had been announced in the case, and authorities had not released the suspect’s name.
Austin police homicide detectives and Austin Forensic Science crime scene specialists responded to the area after the man was found. Investigators have been interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence, including surveillance video, as they work to determine what happened before the vehicle crashed.
Early local reports described the investigation as being near Woodland Avenue and Burton Drive. The Police Department’s formal homicide notice later listed the location as the intersection of Briar Hill Drive and Woodland Avenue. Both locations are in the same southeast Austin area.
The initial call was classified as a reported shooting or stabbing, but police have not publicly confirmed how the man was injured. Authorities have also not said whether the victim and the person seen leaving the area knew each other or whether investigators have established any connection between them.
The investigation remains active. Police said no arrests had been made in their latest public update and asked anyone with information about the case to contact Austin police or submit information anonymously through Capital Area Crime Stoppers.
Author note: Last updated September 2, 2026.