On July 3, 2022, 34-year-old Duvan Betancourth-Gonzalez was found dead in his car near Interstate 35 in central Austin. Police say he called around 10:20 p.m. to report being robbed by multiple people and needing help. Officers arriving at the scene found two abandoned cars and Betancourth-Gonzalez with gunshot wounds; the Travis County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be gunshot wounds and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators describe the incident as beginning with a robbery that escalated into murder. Witnesses reported seeing four people run from the area and head north on I-35. APD identified a person of interest and later charged 20-year-old Juan Eduardo Martinez on July 15, 2022, with first-degree felony murder; the arrest affidavit says Martinez was allegedly involved and that Betancourth-Gonzalez’s passport, wallet, and a large amount of cash were found in Martinez’s car. The case was listed as Austin’s 36th homicide of 2022 and remains under investigation.

Anyone who saw activity near I-35 that night or has video footage is asked to contact APD Homicide or Crime Stoppers with information.