Cristian Rangel: Austin police look for new leads in April homicide
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Police Department continues to investigate the death of Cristian Rangel.
24-year-old Rangel was reported missing after having last been seen on April 8. His body was later found on April 19.
APD held a news conference to ask the public for help identifying new leads.
Rangel's mother, Misty Moon, released the following statement:
"It is with devastation that we are speaking about the tragic loss of Cristian Rangel. He was our son, and he was a father, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend who is deeply missed. It is a pain that words cannot adequately describe, but I stand before you today, not only in grief, but in hope, that justice will be served.
Cristian was only 24 years old when he was taken from us in an act of senseless violence. He had his whole life ahead of him; a life filled with promise, love, and many dreams yet to be fulfilled. His smile would light up any room, and he had such compassion for everyone. He would be the first person to give his own shirt off his back for a stranger.
Family meant everything to him, and without him, ours will never be the same. We will never stop seeking justice for him. To anyone who may be holding on to information, our family asks from the depths of a broken heart, please come forward."
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477.
A reward up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest. In addition to the $1,000 reward being offered by Crime Stoppers, the family is offering an additional $9,000 for information in Rangel's case.
What happened to Cristian Rangel?
On April 8, police say at around 11:15 a.m., Rangel left his Southwest Austin apartment on foot and headed to the Walmart located at 5017 W. US 290.
Rangel never returned home and was reported missing on the same day in the evening.
Walmart surveillance footage shows Rangel entering the front passenger seat of a white GMC Terrain at approximately 1:30 p.m.
"We don't know if they're the only two people in the car," Det. Patrick Reed said. "No one else ever enters or exits except Christian's attempt to exit as the car speeds out of the parking lot."
A short time later, the vehicle exited the parking lot at a high speed, and surveillance video shows Rangel attempting to exit the car.
Throughout the investigation, APD determined that the subject Rangel met in the Walmart parking lot and the driver of the vehicle was later identified as Kamery Wooldridge.
"There were several people in the parking lot that we could see on surveillance footage. We haven't identified any of those people, so hopefully things like this will encourage those people to come forward," Reed said.
On April 19, around 7:09 p.m., officers responded to a body found at 5800 Spring Meadow Drive in Southeast Austin. The caller said they found the body in the Greenbelt.
Officers and AFD found the decomposing body. It was later identified as Rangel.
Police said after an examination of the remains on July 25, Rangel's injuries were consistent with him being assaulted at the time of his death.
Are there any suspects in Rangel's death?
Wooldridge has been arrested in connection with Rangel's death.
Detectives determined that Wooldridge disposed of Rangel's body in the 5800 block of Spring Meadow Drive, and on May 14, 2024, an arrest warrant was issued for Wooldridge, charging her with tampering with a human corpse, which is a second-degree felony.
Wooldridge was arrested on June 4 and is currently out on bond.
Detectives, alongside Rangel's family, are asking for the community’s help and support in learning what happened to Rangel in the moments between when he entered the vehicle with Wooldridge and when she discarded his body in the greenbelt.