Austin police investigating two suspicious deaths as murders

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin police are looking at two suspicious deaths that both happened within a span of hours on two different parts of town on Wednesday. 

The first was around 3:30 p.m. on Frontier Valley Drive in southeast Austin. Police found a man in his 30s or 40s in the complex's parking lot shot in the neck. He died at a local hospital. 

Then just a few hours later, in east Austin, a woman died. No arrests were made on these yet.

"The complainant contacted police and advised that she found her friend inside her residence and was unresponsive and there was a lot of blood," said Ofc. Juan Asencio, Austin Police Department.

Police said the woman had a gunshot wound, and she died on the scene. They ruled out suicide.

"There was some suspicious activity going on in there. We definitely went with a suspicious death," said Asencio.

"There was caution tape that covered that house over there. There was caution tape that covered that front house too. It also covered both alleyways," said Kevin Paredes, neighbor.

Paredes said he lives right next door to where it happened. He was trying to get home last night when he saw the busy crime scene.

"This is the first time that has happened, and I think I’m still processing. Apparently it was right next door. I’m pretty sure, we weren't able to get in last night, so we just crashed somewhere else," he said.

Paredes has lived in the east Austin neighborhood for close to a year, and he said it's always been quiet and quaint. He would see his neighbors sometimes.

"They seemed really relaxed. They would have visitors from time to time. I'd see someone just hang out with them on the porch," said Paredes.

Police said they are investigating these two deaths as murders, which would put that number for 2022 at 28. This time last year, we were at 30. 

Police said that number is too close for comfort, indicating we may easily catch up or surpass the murder count last year, which was 89.