In the autumn of 2016, a Kansas City, Missouri community was shaken by the sudden and violent death of a beloved matriarch. Rene Austin, a 60-year-old mother, grandmother, and business owner, was found deceased in her apartment on the evening of September 29th. Known for her funny, sweet, and caring nature, those who knew her said she always put others before herself.
The grim discovery was made in her home located in the 400 block of Booth Avenue.
Her daughter, after hearing a loud and startling boom, went to her mother's bedroom to investigate. Tragically, she found her mother had been shot to death. The authorities were immediately alerted, and upon their arrival, they pronounced her dead at the scene from apparent gunshot wounds.
Kansas City police quickly launched a homicide investigation into the shooting death of the 60-year-old woman, a crime that was described as unusual for a victim of her age. Detectives worked diligently through the night, beginning the arduous process of piecing together the events that led to this senseless act of violence. The investigation continued in the days that followed, as law enforcement sought to uncover the motive and identify those responsible for her death.
Despite the ongoing investigation, public online sources do not contain information regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in connection with the murder of Rene Austin. The case has left a void in the lives of her son, daughter, and other family members who remember her as a one-of-a-kind, loving individual. Her death added to the growing number of homicides in the Kansas City area that year, leaving a family to grapple with their loss in the absence of justice.
