A woman and child were found dead at their South Austin home on Monday night, alongside a third person, a male, who was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police identified the three deceased as 6-year-old James Robertson, 36-year-old Jennifer Robertson, and 36-year-old Darius Robertson.
Officers visited the home in the in the 5800 block of Abby Ann Lane, located south of the Onion Creek Greenbelt,
in response to a check-welfare call from family members who had been unable to get in touch with their loved ones. They forced entry into the home after seeing an unresponsive person through a window.
All three victims had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and were pronounced deceased on scene. “This incident is being investigated as a double murder and suicide,” APD said in a news release.
Domestic violence incidents, including a triple homicide in April, have contributed to a spike in murders in Austin so far this year. APD are counting James and Jennifer Robinson as the 70th and 71st homicide victims of 2021.
Drugs-related killings, road rage killings, and teen gun violence have also played a role in the spike in killings. By this time last year there had been 38 homicides in Austin, which means the year-to-date rise in homicides in the city now stands at 87%.