A 34-year-old Austin-area woman is now behind bars after investigators say they connected her to a deadly shooting at a busy downtown bus stop last month, wrapping up a multiagency search that ended with her arrest near Houston.
Victim identified at downtown stop
Austin police identified the victim as 52-year-old Gared Goff after officers were called just after 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 12 to reports of shots fired at 401 E. 5th St., near Trinity Street. First responders tried life-saving measures, but Goff was pronounced dead about 20 minutes later, according to FOX 7 Austin. Detectives treated the case as a homicide from the outset, combing nearby businesses for witnesses and surveillance footage.
Arrest in Houston-area suburb
Authorities say 34-year-old Kimberly Sotelo was tracked to Spring, Texas, where U.S. Marshals working with Montgomery County deputies took her into custody on Dec. 1, the Elgin Courier reported. She is being held on a first-degree murder warrant out of Austin County and is expected to be transferred for arraignment, according to the local outlet. Officials have not released a booking photo or details on bond.
Police: Investigators still gathering evidence
Television coverage this week reported that a woman is in custody in connection with the case, while Austin detectives continue to hunt for additional witnesses and video to shore up their file, per KVUE. Investigators are asking anyone who was in the area that morning to come forward as they prepare the case for prosecutors.
Legal implications
Sotelo faces a murder warrant that would fall under Texas Penal Code Section 19.02 if formally prosecuted as murder, categorized as a first-degree felony, according to Justia. Under state law, the punishment range for a first-degree felony is generally 5 to 99 years or life in prison.
How to help
Anyone with information about the Nov. 12 shooting is asked to call Austin police at 512-974-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through Capital Area Crime Stoppers. Local coverage has noted that a reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information that leads to an arrest, according to FOX 7 Austin. Authorities say they will forward the completed case file to prosecutors once they have gathered all available evidence and statements.
