Chester Ray Sauls

Chester Ray Sauls, a man remembered by loved ones as a cool person and the life of the party, was killed in a shooting in downtown Austin, Texas, on August 16, 2022. He was a 36-year-old Black man who had grown up in the city, attending Andrews Elementary School, and was a father to two daughters. Friends and family affectionately knew him by nicknames like "Ray," "Chucky," and "Superman," and his death left a profound void in the lives of those who knew him.

The morning of the shooting was a Tuesday. At approximately 10:57 a.m., Austin Police Department officers were dispatched to the intersection of East Sixth and Sabine streets following multiple 911 calls about a man being shot. The area is part of Austin's well-known downtown entertainment district. When police arrived, they found Chester Sauls on the ground, unresponsive, with an apparent gunshot wound to his chest. Despite life-saving measures performed by officers and Austin-Travis County EMS, he was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:16 a.m.

Homicide detectives and crime scene specialists from the Austin Police Department immediately began their investigation, closing off surrounding streets. Investigators stated they believed the killing was an isolated incident that began as an altercation between two people and that there was no further threat to the public. The case was registered as Austin's 49th homicide of 2022.

Within days of the shooting, police identified a person of interest. Surveillance footage from the area reportedly showed a man, later identified as Glenn Donyale Wilson, near the scene. According to police reports, the video captured an interaction immediately after the shooting where Wilson appeared to make an exchange with another individual involving what looked like a small caliber handgun. While investigators found two live rounds and one fired cartridge casing at the scene, no firearm was recovered.

Based on the evidence gathered, the Austin Police Department secured an arrest warrant for Wilson on a charge of murder. In the weeks following the homicide, Wilson remained at large. However, according to a subsequent news report, Glenn Donyale Wilson was officially charged with murder in connection with the death of Chester Sauls. Details regarding his arrest and subsequent court proceedings have not been made public.

In the wake of his death, friends and family shared messages of love and grief on memorial pages for Chester. One childhood friend recalled knowing him since they were five years old, describing them as kindred spirits who grew up together. Another relative wrote, "your legacy will always live on thru your beautiful baby girls." The messages paint a picture of a deeply loved man whose sudden death was a heartbreaking loss to his community. One tribute, posted two months after his death, expressed the ongoing pain: "its been 2 months & i still cant accept the fact ill never see you again. Im broken Ray."

The case against Glenn Donyale Wilson is presumed to be proceeding through the Travis County court system. As of the latest available information, the investigation is ongoing. The Austin Police Department has previously asked that anyone with information or video of the incident call the APD Homicide tip line at 512-477-3588 or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477.