Austin homicide detectives are back in north Austin, knocking on doors and handing out flyers as they revive the search for whoever shot and killed 20-year-old Gabrielle Williams near a now-cleared homeless encampment.
Detectives say the renewed canvass, which includes walking the surrounding streets and leaving flyers that highlight anonymous reporting options, is aimed at reaching people who may have lived in or around the encampment but have since moved away after the camp was cleared.
According to KXAN, Homicide Detectives Randy DeLuna and Billy Pina have been walking the neighborhood and passing out flyers printed with QR codes that link directly to anonymous tip forms. Detective Pina told the outlet the in-person effort is part of a longer-term push to build trust with residents and shake loose information that did not surface when the case was fresh.
City records show the shooting happened the night of April 25, 2025, after several 911 callers reported hearing gunfire in the wooded area behind 506 E. Rundberg Lane. Officers arrived to find Williams unresponsive on the sidewalk in front of a car wash. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Austin Police Department, which assigned the case number 25-1151712 and reports that no suspect is in custody.
The detectives told KXAN they are banking on time, repetition, and face-to-face conversations to convince reluctant witnesses to finally talk. “People may be more willing to talk after time has passed and the department works to earn trust,” Detective Pina said, according to the report.
Investigators and local reporters have pointed out that homicides tied to encampments come with extra hurdles. Residents often move from place to place, and when camps are cleared, potential witnesses can scatter across the city, FOX 7 Austin notes. Police say the encampment near Rundberg Lane has since been cleared, with many of the people who once stayed there either relocated or dispersed after the shooting.
How to help investigators
Anyone with information is asked to call the Austin Police Department homicide tipline at 512-974-TIPS or send an anonymous tip through Capital Area Crime Stoppers’ website or mobile app. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information that leads to an arrest, according to the Austin Police Department and Capital Area Crime Stoppers.
Detectives say the renewed canvass is about getting justice for Williams and closure for her family, and it marks the latest public push since the killing first drew wider attention last spring. For more background on how the investigation began and how the public was initially asked to help, see our coverage of the initial plea for public help.
