APD identifies victim, suspect in southeast Austin homicide

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department identified the victim and suspect in connection with a southeast Austin homicide that happened Sunday night, the agency said in a news release Monday.

Police said it received two 911 calls to a home near the 2500 block of Teri Road, which is near Pleasant Valley Road and north of Stassney Lane, around 5:55 p.m.

The first caller told 911 dispatch her husband “was in a verbal and physical disturbance” with another man. That man then returned with a gun, according to police. The second caller said “their uncle had been shot.”

When police and Austin-Travis County EMS arrived on the scene, they found a man, later identified as 25-year-old Steve Gonzalez, in the garage with “an apparent gunshot wound.” He was pronounced dead on the scene at 6:34 p.m., the release said.

The video above is from an Austin Police Department media briefing on Sept. 8, 2024

It was later revealed in the investigation that Gonzalez was in an altercation with Martin Tovar, 26. Both Gonzalez and Tovar were “throwing dice together” and then walked outside of the home. Tovar then shot Gonzalez and ran from the scene and ran from the scene. He was later found and arrested and charged with first degree murder, according to police.

Online records did not show an attorney listed for Tovar. KXAN will update this if an attorney can be reached for comment.

APD said this incident is being investigated as Austin’s 43rd homicide of 2024 . Homicide detectives were still investigating at the scene Sunday night.

Anyone with information should call the APD homicide tip line at 512-974-8477.

Police said there is no known threat to the public.

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