On April 20, 2023, at about 11 a.m., Austin police responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at a homeless encampment in a wooded area behind the Best Buy in the 4900 block of the West U.S. 290 service road, near the Gaines Creek Greenbelt in Southwest Austin. Officers found 27-year-old John Powers with gunshot wounds; despite life-saving efforts he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators interviewed witnesses and identified several persons of interest, but as of October 2023 no arrests had been made and the case remained unsolved. The APD offered a reward of up to $1,000 for tips leading to an arrest. Powers’ death was recorded as Austin’s 25th homicide of 2023 and renewed concerns about safety in homeless encampments.

If anyone saw activity near the Gaines Creek Greenbelt or has information that could help the investigation, please share what is known with the APD.