Case:          21-0291379

Date:           Friday, January 29, 2021

Time:           9:23 p.m.
      
Location:   1100 Block of Mearns Meadow Blvd.

Deceased:  Jose Franklin Rodriguez, Hispanic male, born 10/12/01

Arrested:    Lashell Tynek Linton, Black female, 22 years of age

The Austin Police Department (APD) has identified and arrested 22-year-old Lashell Tynek Linton for the murder of Jose Franklin Rodriguez on Friday, January 29, 2021.

Austin 911 received a call that a person had been shot at 1126 Mearns Meadow Blvd. APD Officers arrived on scene and found a Hispanic male shot while seated in a vehicle at this location. EMS arrived and began life saving measures. The victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at 9:23 p.m.

Homicide investigators and crime scene personnel arrived and began to investigate. Witnesses at the scene advised hearing an argument and seeing a struggle inside the victim’s vehicle. They then heard several gunshots and saw multiple subjects fleeing the scene. A tan or silver 4-door sedan, possibly a Toyota or Infiniti, was seen leaving the area of the victim’s car just after the shooting. At this time robbery is believed to be a motive in this murder.

The Travis County Medical Examiner’s office conducted an autopsy on January 30, 2021. The official cause of death was gunshot wounds and manner of death Homicide. On May 15, 2021, the lead investigator for this homicide was able to obtain a 1st degree murder warrant for Lashell Linton.
 
On May 29, 2021, Grand Prairie P.D. arrested Lashell Linton with this outstanding warrant and transported her to the Dallas County Jail. Linton remains in custody on a $250,000 dollar bond.

Detectives are asking anyone with information or video of the incident to call APD Homicide at 512-974-TIPS, email homicide.apd@austintexas.gov, utilize the Crime Stoppers tip line at 512-472-8477 (TIPS), or the Crime Stoppers app. You may remain anonymous.

This is the 5th homicide in 2021.

You can also submit tips by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, free on iPhone and Android.