Jose Franklin Rodriguez, a 19-year-old Hispanic male, was tragically killed on January 29, 2021, in North Austin, Texas. The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. in the 1100 block of Mearns Meadow Boulevard. According to the Austin Police Department, officers responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting. Upon arrival, they found Rodriguez seated in a vehicle, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Despite the efforts of Austin-Travis County EMS to administer CPR, Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene. The Travis County Medical Examiner's office conducted an autopsy on January 30, 2021, and determined the official cause of death to be gunshot wounds, with the manner of death ruled as a homicide.
The investigation into Rodriguez's death led to the arrest of two suspects. The first suspect, 22-year-old Lashell Tynek Linton, was arrested on May 29, 2021, in Grand Prairie, Texas. Linton was charged with first-degree murder and was taken into custody with a $250,000 bond. The second suspect, 20-year-old Anthony Chandler Scott, was arrested on August 13, 2021, just outside of Chicago, Illinois, by the U.S. Marshals-led Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force. Scott was also charged with first-degree murder and was held on a $250,000 bond at the Cook County Jail.
Witnesses at the scene reported hearing an argument and seeing a struggle inside Rodriguez's vehicle before the shooting. Multiple suspects were seen fleeing the scene, and a gray, four-door sedan, possibly a Toyota or Infiniti, was observed leaving the area shortly after the incident. The motive for the shooting was initially believed to be robbery. Detectives believed that one or more of the suspects may have been wearing wigs during the shooting.
In March 2024, Anthony Scott pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was credited with 882 days already served. Lashell Tynek Linton's case was still pending trial at the time of Scott's sentencing. The investigation and subsequent arrests highlighted the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies across state lines to bring justice to the family of Jose Franklin Rodriguez.
