AUSTIN, Texas — A woman has been charged with murder in connection to her cousin’s death last year in South Austin.
Irean Demuchest, 34, remains in Travis County Jail after Austin police say she shot her cousin last summer at an apartment complex.
At roughly 6:15 a.m. on June 21, 2024, neighbors told police they heard what appeared to be a physical altercation coming from an apartment on South 1st Street.
About 15 minutes later, Irean Demuchest called police and told them her cousin had taken her life. Once on scene, officers found 31-year-old Samantha Demuchest suffering from a gunshot wound and lying on a bedroom floor.
Police said Samantha Demuchest was able to tell responders that her cousin shot her before she was taken to a hospital to assess her injuries.
After further investigation, Irean Demuchest was charged and arrested for aggravated assault: family violence with serious bodily injury, as law enforcement discovered that she intentionally shot her cousin and allegedly tried to frame it as a suicide.
Samantha Demuchest died in November 2024 after surviving for five months as a paraplegic. Police said she died from injuries and that her death was considered a homicide after an autopsy showed she suffered a gunshot wound to her neck.
Now, police are offering up to $1,000 for anyone who can provide details on the homicide. Contact the Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477 or call APD at 512-974-TIPS.
Meanwhile, Irean Demuchest is being held in jail on multiple charges and a combined bond of $300,000.