AUSTIN, Texas — A suspicious death at a homeless encampment in southeast Austin on Saturday is now being treated as a homicide.
According to the Austin Police Department, the incident happened at a homeless encampment in the 1700 block of Nelms Drive, near Interstate 35 and East Stassney Lane.
Police said officers were called to a wooded area around 3:50 a.m. after reports of a fire. Austin Fire Department crews also responded and were able to extinguish the fire.
Once firefighters put the fire out, they found a man dead inside the homeless encampment, APD said. He was pronounced dead at 5:03 a.m. Homicide detectives believe the incident was a homicide and the fire was started as an attempt to cover up the murder.
APD said the victim has not yet been identified but is a homeless man who possibly had the nickname “JT.” Now police are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the victim and possible suspects of the murder.
An autopsy the day after the incident revealed the victim had trauma to the body, APD said. The manner of death was determined to be sharp force injuries.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police at 512-974-TIPS or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 512-472-8477 or austincrimestoppers.org. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.
This case is being investigated as Austin’s first homicide of 2025.