A late-night visit to a Pflugerville home turned fatal early Friday after a 36-year-old man called 911 and reported he had shot a friend during an altercation, according to authorities. Deputies with the Travis County Sheriff's Office responded to the 2500 block of Forgetmenot Lane, where they found a visitor with gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, and the caller was later taken into custody on a murder charge.
According to KEYE/CBS Austin, the 911 call came in around 2:34 a.m. Deputies arrived to find the victim with obvious injuries, and he was pronounced dead roughly 15 minutes later, at about 2:49 a.m. The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Joseph Javier Muniz, was arrested later that morning, transported to the Travis County Jail, and booked at 6:29 a.m., the station reported.
Charges and legal stakes
Muniz was booked on a murder charge. Under Texas law, murder is generally a first-degree felony, which comes with a wide potential sentencing range. Per Justia, Texas Penal Code §19.02 lists murder as typically punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison, although limited defenses can, in some cases, reduce the severity of the charge at trial.
Investigation and next steps
The Travis County Sheriff's Office homicide unit is handling the investigation, and the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office is expected to release a positive identification of the victim after notifying next of kin, KEYE/CBS Austin reports.
Detectives are still asking for the public's help. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the sheriff's office. Guidance on submitting tips to investigators, including phone and online options, is available through the department's press releases and tip line resources, per the Travis County Sheriff's Office.
