Ashley Harris, a 57-year-old resident of Austin, Texas, tragically died on June 20, 2022. Harris was found deceased in their home located in the 8700 block of Bluegrass Drive, Northwest Austin, alongside their sibling, Jacob Barlow, who was 62 years old. The Austin Police Department responded to a call about shots fired at the residence around 12:19 p.m. that day. Upon arrival, officers discovered both Harris and Barlow with trauma to their bodies.
Harris was pronounced dead at 12:53 p.m., and Barlow was pronounced dead at 12:55 p.m.
The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office conducted autopsies and determined that Harris's cause of death was gunshot wounds, ruling it a homicide. In contrast, Barlow's cause of death was also gunshot wounds, but it was ruled a suicide. Detectives from the APD's Homicide Unit investigated the incident and concluded that it was a murder-suicide, isolated between the siblings.
No arrests have been made in connection with the incident, as it was determined to be a murder-suicide involving only the two siblings. There have been no suspects identified or litigations pursued in relation to Ashley Harris's death. The case was closed as a tragic family incident, and the APD has not pursued any further investigations or legal actions.
The community was deeply affected by the loss of Ashley Harris and Jacob Barlow, and the APD urged anyone with information or video footage of the incident to come forward and assist with the investigation. The case remains a somber reminder of the complexities and tragedies that can arise within families.
