A 32-year-old Austin man was arrested last Thursday for his alleged role in the murder of a homeless woman in East Austin. According to CBS Austin, Frank Henry Bonner Jr. was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals at a bus stop near Manor Road and Rogge Lane without incident. He has been charged with the murder of 35-year-old Kelly Meazell, who was found with a gunshot wound in an East Austin parking lot on January 9th.
Responding to a report of a body at around 1:44 a.m., Austin police discovered Meazell in a pool of blood. Despite life-saving attempts, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:11 a.m., as reported by FOX 7 Austin. Bonner now faces a murder charge and is being held at the Travis County Jail on a $1 million bond.
Details surrounding the motive for the murder are still unclear. Neither the Austin Police Department nor the U.S. Marshals Service has released information on why Meazell was targeted. The Austin Police Department has asked anyone with information about the incident to come forward, offering contact through their tip line or anonymously via Capital Area Crime Stoppers.
While the investigation continues, Bonner's connection to the victim, beyond the murder charge, remains to be publicly disclosed. The arrest happened following the issuance of a warrant on January 16, done swiftly to avoid any potential of Bonner fleeing the area. The U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force was requested to assist in apprehension efforts and successfully took Bonner into custody the same day, according to CBS Austin.
