Woman Fatally Shot in Austin Parking Lot; Suspect Arrested After Truck Breaks Down in Kerrville
A 22-year-old woman was shot and killed in a parking lot on Philomena Street Sunday night in what Austin Police are investigating as the city’s 21st homicide of 2025.
At approximately 10:16 p.m. on April 27, 2025, Austin 9-1-1 received multiple reports of a shooting at 2724 Philomena Street. Officers arrived and located an unresponsive Hispanic female, later identified as 22-year-old Samantha Fernandez, lying in the parking lot with a gunshot wound. She was pronounced deceased at 10:42 p.m.
Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel processed the scene and began interviews. Investigators determined that a pickup truck had pulled into the lot and Fernandez came down to meet someone in the vehicle. An occupant of the truck, identified as Gonzalo Mendoza-Gonzalez, Hispanic male, 22 years old, shot Fernandez before the truck fled the scene.
Authorities located the vehicle after it broke down in Kerrville, Texas, where Mendoza-Gonzalez was taken into custody.
He has been charged with Murder (1st Degree) in connection to the fatal shooting of Samantha Fernandez.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Austin Police Department Homicide Unit at 512-974-TIPS. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477.
