David Anthony Vasquez

In the pre-dawn hours of October 29, 2024, Abilene police responded to a call about an injured person near the intersection of Highway 277 and South Clack Street. In a culvert beside the roadway, officers discovered David Anthony Vasquez, a 47-year-old Hispanic man. Medical personnel determined that Mr. Vasquez was suffering from a gunshot wound, and he died from his injuries.

The investigation led to a swift arrest later that day. Authorities took 25-year-old Jaylen Clint Shafer into custody and charged him with first-degree felony murder in connection with Mr. Vasquez's death. Shafer, whose address was listed as "transient," was booked into the Taylor County Jail and initially held without bond.

In January 2025, a grand jury indicted Jaylen Shafer for the murder. According to court documents, Shafer admitted to police that he shot Mr. Vasquez but claimed he had acted in self-defense. Shafer stated that Mr. Vasquez had approached him looking for drugs and threatened to kill him. He told investigators he shot Mr. Vasquez twice because he came at him in a threatening manner.

Mr. Vasquez’s death was one of several fatal shooting incidents that occurred in Abilene within a single week, deeply affecting the community. The string of tragedies prompted Abilene Police Chief Rondell Seratte to issue a public statement acknowledging the losses. He confirmed that suspects in all the recent homicides had been apprehended and commended the strength of the families involved. The chief encouraged residents to seek support from mental health professionals or faith-based organizations to help the community heal. As of January 2025, the case against Jaylen Shafer was proceeding through the judicial system.