Austin — The heart of this Texas city is reeling after 45‑year‑old Denise Tijerina died from a gunshot wound she suffered inside her southeast Austin home earlier this week. What began as a late‑night emergency call on January 26 turned into a community’s grief and a renewed murder investigation.
Police say officers responded around 12:30 a.m. Monday to the 5900 block of Wagon Bend after a 911 caller reported a female bleeding from a head wound and said the suspected shooter was nearby. When first responders arrived, they found Tijerina inside her kitchen with a serious gunshot injury and rushed her to a local hospital in critical condition.
Nearby, officers located 39‑year‑old Samuel Boardman, who had walked away from the residence. Detectives later determined Boardman and Tijerina were together inside the home when the shots were fired, and that he had fled the scene on foot afterward. Boardman offered no statement to police at the time of his first arrest.
Initially, Boardman faced a charge of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. He posted a $5,000 bond and was released from jail on January 27, only to see charges escalate after Tijerina’s condition worsened.
Tijerina succumbed to her injuries on January 28, and hours after her passing a first‑degree murder warrant was issued. Boardman was re‑arrested that same day and now faces the more serious charge in connection with her death.
Friends and neighbors remember Tijerina as a warm presence in the community. The sudden and violent end to her life has left many in Austin in deep sorrow and searching for answers about how such a moment could unfold in a familiar neighborhood.
The Austin Police Department is continuing its investigation and is urging anyone with relevant information to reach out at 512‑974‑TIPS. Anonymous tips can also be sent through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers program.
This tragic event marks one of the city’s early homicides this year, underscoring ongoing concerns about domestic violence and public safety. Community members have expressed their grief and hope that sharing information will bring some measure of justice for Tijerina and her family.
