Brandon D. Grant, a 30-year-old African American male, was found dead in East Austin on July 16, 2016. His body was discovered lying on the pavement in the 7400 block of Johnny Morris Road, near the intersection with Loyola Lane. The Austin-Travis County EMS attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at 1:36 a.m. The Travis County Medical Examiner's office ruled his death a homicide, noting that he had been both shot and stabbed.
The investigation into Brandon D.
Grant's death revealed that he had been involved in a confrontation with a high-ranking member of the Crips gang. Joseph Andre Sterling, also known as "Joe Joe," was identified as the primary suspect in the case. According to an arrest affidavit, Sterling, 28, was accused of shooting and killing Grant in the early hours of July 16. Witnesses reported seeing Grant get into a vehicle with another man shortly before his death. The vehicle was seen leaving the area after a brief stay in the parking lot.
Further investigation uncovered that Grant had been using his mother's phone to communicate with friends and associates. Phone records led the police to Sterling, who had been in contact with Grant around the time of the murder. Sterling was later arrested and charged with Grant's murder. He was booked into the Travis County Jail with a bond set at $1 million.
Grant's mother, who had been receiving threats from Sterling, expressed her fears about the potential release of her son's accused killer. She emphasized that despite her son's struggles with drug addiction, he did not deserve to be killed. The case remains an ongoing investigation, with the District Attorney's Office continuing to pursue justice for Brandon D. Grant.
