Austin’s community reels from the murder mystery of a burned woman. Detectives scour Austin, piecing together clues to solve the murder mystery. Amidst fear and confusion, Austin’s residents hope for a swift resolution to this chilling murder mystery, yearning for safety and justice to return.
A baffling homicide case is under investigation in an upscale neighborhood in Austin, Texas, where a woman was found burned alive on the side of the road.
Melissa Davis, aged 33, was discovered dead by firefighters on September 29. They were responding to reports of a grass fire near Mesa Drive and Cat Mountain Drive at around 5 am.
Upon arriving at the scene, police officers noted a strong odor of accelerant near Davis’s body, which was located in a grassy area adjacent to a fence, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Detectives uncovered a lightly used lighter on the ground near the crime scene, and a police K9 discovered a butcher knife that is believed to have been buried by the suspect. An autopsy confirmed that Davis’s cause of death was being burned alive.
As of now, no arrests have been made, and Austin police have not announced a person of interest. However, authorities are actively searching for at least one suspect.
The Austin Police Department has obtained a search warrant to access Davis’s cell phone records, with the hope that the information will lead them to the suspect. Additionally, they are trying to locate her missing vehicle, a blue Toyota 4Runner that was absent from the crime scene.
It was reported that on the day before the homicide, Davis had left her mother’s house in the Circle C area to visit the Apple Store to get her phone fixed. Her phone was not found at the crime scene.
Ellie Simmons, Davis’s best friend, described her as a “free spirit” who had a zest for life and a passion for art. They had dreams of starting a hostel in Costa Rica, with an art station where Davis could pursue her love for painting.
The Austin Police Department is offering a $1,000 reward for information that could lead to the suspect’s whereabouts. They issued a Facebook post on Oct. 6, urging anyone with information to come forward.
The post stated, “On Friday, September 29, 2023, at approximately 5:08 am., the Austin Fire Department (AFD) responded to reports of a grassfire in the 6300 block of Mesa Drive. Upon arrival, AFD located a deceased person with trauma to the body. The Austin Police Department (APD) was notified and responded to the scene.”
“Homicide Detectives and Crime Scene Specialists responded to process the scene and interview witnesses. During the investigation, the deceased individual was identified as Melissa Davis. This investigation is still active and ongoing.”
“Anyone with any information should contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.”
