On May 20, 2024, at approximately 3:50 a.m., 49-year-old Stephen Mark Peterman was fatally shot while walking his dog near his residence on Amarillo Avenue in northwest Austin, Texas. Peterman, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant and employee of Texas Gas Service, was discovered unresponsive in the street with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigations by the Travis County Sheriff's Office revealed that Peterman had likely interrupted a burglary in progress involving his work vehicle, which was parked near his home with a shattered window. Surveillance footage from a neighbor's camera captured the sound of six gunshots, followed by a red hatchback speeding away from the scene. Six .45-caliber shell casings were recovered near Peterman's body.
Later that day, authorities arrested 36-year-old William Jewel Daniels of San Antonio in connection with the shooting. Daniels was charged with murder after forensic analysis matched his palm print to one found on Peterman's vehicle. It is believed that Daniels was attempting to burglarize the truck when confronted by Peterman, leading to the fatal shooting.
Stephen Peterman, born on October 13, 1974, in Rushville, Illinois, dedicated over two decades to military service, including deployments to Kosovo and Iraq. He was known for his love of animals, often caring for local wildlife, and was a devout Christian who actively helped others. He is survived by his wife, Nonna, and their young son. Funeral services were held on June 3, 2024, at Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home in Austin, followed by interment at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen.
In the wake of this tragedy, the community has rallied to support the Peterman family, with an online memorial and fundraising efforts established to assist them during this difficult time.
As legal proceedings against Daniels continue, the Austin community mourns the loss of a respected veteran and neighbor, whose life was tragically cut short while performing a routine act of care for his beloved pet.
