Cristian Rangel: Family still searching for answers in connection to man's murder

AUSTIN, Texas - The family of a man killed during the solar eclipse last year wants answers. 

A woman has been arrested in connection with the killing, but no one has been charged with the murder.

RELATED COVERAGE:

• Cristian Rangel: Austin police look for new leads in April homicide
• Woman arrested for dumping missing man's body in Greenbelt: APD
• Missing man last seen at SW Austin Walmart found dead in SE Austin: APD

What happened to Cristian Rangel?

The backstory:

When everything went dark on April 8, 2024, Cristian Rangel went missing.

"Every time the phone would ring, you would just have a little bit of hope that it would always be him," Rangel’s mother, Misty Moon, said.

Rangel had left his apartment and went to a Walmart in North Austin. He was spotted on surveillance footage.

"As the vehicle is leaving the parking lot, it's obviously moving much faster than what you would normally travel in the parking lot, and you can see the passenger door opening and closing, indicating that someone was trying to get out or didn't have the door closed all the way, so it was, it stood out in that sense," Austin Police Homicide Detective Patrick Reed said.

"It started to kind of look like maybe this was some type of kidnapping situation," Detective Reed said.

Ten days later, Rangel’s body was found in a field on Spring Meadow Road in Southeast Austin.

"I got the phone call, and our lives have never been the same since," Moon said.

She said they are grieving.

"His smile was infectious, he had a big personality. He could make anyone laugh, but he was also empathetic, like he could connect with people and if anyone was struggling or having a hard time, he could always make them feel like they were seen or heard," Moon said.

"All we're left with are pictures and videos and memories and, you know, there's no more of that," Moon said.

One arrest made in connection to Rangel's murder

What we know:

Detectives said after going through Rangel’s phone, they found a woman’s phone number that was also associated with the vehicle Rangel got into at Walmart. 

Her name is Kamery Wooldridge, who police said dumped Rangel’s body. She is charged with tampering with a human corpse. Wooldridge is out on bond.

"Someone that could do such a horrific thing to a human being should not be out walking around, so just, you know, we'd like justice for Cristian because he deserves that," Moon said.

Austin police are still looking for new leads

What they're saying:

Investigators are working to figure out what happened to Rangel during that solar eclipse.

"There are still a lot of unanswered questions," Detective Reed said.

While everyone was watching the sun that day, investigators hope someone still remembers seeing Rangel.

"Given the day that he went missing, being kind of a unique day for us with the eclipse happening, I mean, it's kind of a memory stamp for people, and so if anyone thinks they have any information, however small or minuscule it may be to them, it can always help us kind of put together a more holistic picture," Detective Reed said.

"I know that if this person that was responsible is held accountable, then that will help with closure for our family," Moon said.

There is up to a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. 

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