A quiet South Austin block turned into a crime scene early Monday after a woman was shot inside a home and later died at the hospital. Police say a man now faces a first-degree murder warrant in connection with the case. Officers found the victim inside the residence, rushed her to a hospital in critical condition, and she died soon after. The suspect, who authorities say initially walked away from the scene, was first detained nearby and later re-arrested.
Officers responded around 12:30 a.m. Monday, a report of a shooting in the 5900 block of Wagon Bend, where they found an adult woman with an apparent gunshot wound, according to the City of Austin. She was identified as Denise Tijerina and taken to a local hospital in critical condition. A man found close to the scene was detained while detectives with the Austin Police Department's aggravated assault unit and crime scene specialists began piecing together what happened.
Images and a brief update were later shared on the Austin Police Department's Facebook page, which linked to the city's formal news release and referenced an attached transcript labeled 3667974. The post directs readers to the official statement and notes that the case is being investigated as a homicide. It is the first public notice APD released about the incident.
Investigation Timeline and Charges
Investigators have identified the suspect as 39-year-old Samuel Boardman. Police say he was initially charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and released on a $5,000 bond on Tuesday. After Tijerina died on Wednesday, detectives secured a first-degree murder warrant and re-arrested Boardman in connection with her death. The department reports this is Austin's sixth homicide of 2026, and investigators are continuing to track leads and interview witnesses, according to the City of Austin.
How to Help
Anyone who knows anything about what happened on Wagon Bend is urged to contact Austin police at 512-974-TIPS or send an anonymous tip through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org, according to the department's social media update. APD listed the case number as 26-0260020 so tipsters can reference the correct investigation. Detectives are especially interested in hearing from neighbors with doorbell or other surveillance footage from the area that might have captured activity before or after the shooting.
What’s Next
Detectives with APD's aggravated assault and homicide units are continuing the investigation and say they plan to release additional details as they are confirmed. Officials are pressing anyone with information, no matter how minor it may seem, to come forward so investigators can build a clearer timeline and understand what led up to the deadly shooting.
