Teen Charged After Girlfriend's Ex Killed, Car Taken

Police Describe Apartment Altercation

Austin police have charged a 17-year-old with murder after a 29-year-old man was killed at an East Austin apartment. Officers responded to a shooting report in the 1000 block of Springdale Road shortly after 3 a.m. on Sept. 23. First responders found Jacob Villanueva on stairs inside the apartment with apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later.

Woman Called Her Former Boyfriend

Investigators said the resident of the apartment had been involved in an altercation with her boyfriend, Jorge Garza. Police said she then called her former boyfriend, Villanueva, who came to the residence and asked Garza to leave. Authorities allege Garza then shot Villanueva. The police account describes the sequence investigators believe occurred; the murder charge remains an allegation unless proven in court.

Police Say Victim’s Vehicle Was Taken

Austin police said Garza left the scene in Villanueva’s vehicle after the shooting. That detail resulted in an additional allegation beyond the homicide investigation. Police later booked Garza on a murder charge and a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Investigators did not announce a broader motive beyond the altercation described in the department’s public statement.

Fugitive Task Force Makes Arrest

Garza was not taken into custody at the apartment. Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force arrested him on Sept. 25, two days after the shooting, according to Austin police. He was then booked into the Travis County Jail.

Homicide Detectives Process the Scene

Detectives with the Austin Police Department’s Homicide Unit responded to the apartment along with Austin Forensic Science crime specialists. The teams processed the scene as investigators worked to establish what happened before Villanueva was killed. Police classified the death as Austin’s 42nd homicide of 2026. That count is an administrative designation and does not determine the outcome of the criminal case against Garza.

Police Ask for Additional Information

The investigation remains active. Austin police have asked anyone with information about the case to contact the department, and anonymous tips may be submitted through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program. Garza faces the criminal charges filed after his arrest, but the public police release did not provide a court disposition. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty through the legal process.

References: Homicide Investigation in the 1000 block of Springdale Road | East Austin homicide: Teen kills girlfriend’s ex, steals his car