Case:                           24-1730317
 
Date:                           Friday, June 21, 2024
 
Time:                           6:14 a.m.
 
Location:                     6000 block of South 1st Street
 
Victim (Deceased):     Samantha Demuchest, Black female, 02/04/1993

Suspect (Arrested):    Irean Demuchest, Black female, 34 years of age

On Friday, June 21, 2024, at approximately 6:14 a.m., Austin Police Department (APD) officers responded to a disturbance call in the 6000 block of South 1st Street. Neighbors advised they could hear a physical fight in the apartment. At 6:31 a.m., another 9-1-1 call came in from Irean Demuchest saying that her cousin, Samantha Demuchest, had killed herself. Officers arrived on scene, and after some delay, the apartment door was answered by Irean, who was holding Samantha’s baby. Officers located Samanta lying on the ground in a bedroom with an apparent gunshot wound. Samantha was able to tell officers that Irean had shot her and was then transported to a local hospital.  

The investigation showed that Irean shot her cousin, Samantha, in the apartment, and then attempted to make it appear as though Samantha shot herself. On June 21, 2024, Irean was arrested and charged with First Degree Aggravated Assault Family Violence with Serious Bodily Injury for shooting Samantha. 

Samantha lived as a paraplegic from June 21, 2024, until November 12, 2024, when she died as a result of her injuries. The autopsy results showed Samantha died as a result of complications of a gunshot wound to the neck and the manner of death was ruled as a homicide. 

On March 6, 2025, Irean was charged with 1st Degree Murder for killing Samantha, and she remains in the Travis County jail.

Anyone with information should contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.

This case is being investigated as Austin's 59th homicide of 2024.

Note: The prior homicide listed as APD’s 59th homicide of 2024 from the 1900 block of William Cannon Drive was later changed to an accidental death as the evidence showed the decedent had fallen while riding a bicycle. It has been removed as a homicide from 2024, and replaced with the case above.