A man was found dead inside a vehicle that crashed into a fence in East Austin on Sunday, and police are searching for a suspect who fled before officers arrived.
Austin police responded to the area of Woodland Avenue and Burton Drive after reports of a crashed vehicle, Officer Aaron Townsend said. When officers arrived, they found a vehicle that had crashed into a fence near the intersection.
A man inside the vehicle had obvious signs of trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene, Townsend said.
Police are searching for a suspect who left the area before officers arrived. Authorities described the suspect as a young Hispanic man, possibly in his late teens or early 20s. Police did not know which direction he went after leaving the scene.
The relationship between the man who died and the suspect was not immediately known, Townsend said. Police also had not released additional details Sunday about what led to the man's death.
Investigators were speaking with witnesses and gathering evidence at the scene as the homicide investigation continued.
The man's identity was not immediately released.
Police are investigating the death as Austin's 38th homicide of 2026.
Anyone with information about the case can contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-8477 or submit an anonymous tip at austincrimestoppers.org or call 512-472-8477.
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This article originally published at Police investigating after man found dead in vehicle in East Austin.