Police ID Victim, Arrest Suspect In Fatal East Austin Shooting

EAST AUSTIN, TX — Police on Monday identified the woman who was fatally shot in East Austin on Sunday and arrested a suspect in the case.

The Lone Star Fugitive Task Force arrested murder suspect, Waymon Keith Eason Sr., 49, on Monday afternoon, the Austin Police Department said. He's accused of shooting Ronda Beans, 50, on Sunday afternoon in what police described as the violent culmination of a domestic dispute.

Just before 5 p.m. on Sunday, police received a 911 call after multiple shots were fired along the 5300 block of Wellington Drive. Upon arriving at the scene, emergency workers found an injured Beans, a 50-year-old African American woman, on the ground. She was rushed to Dell Seton Medical Center where she later died some 30 minutes later.

After speaking with witnesses, police determined the homicide was the culmination of ongoing domestic violence issues between the victim. Based on that preliminary investigation, police Eason as the suspect. Earlier on Monday, police issued a press advisory seeking help from the public in locating Eason, who fled the scene of the shooting on Sunday.

Previous story: Woman Killed In East Austin Shooting

In that earlier advisory, police issued a physical description of Eason in the hopes someone might alert them as to his whereabouts. He was described as an African American man standing five feet, seven inches tall and weighing about 185 pounds. He has brown eyes and is balding. Tipsters were urged to call 911 immediately without approaching Eason, who they categorized as armed and dangerous. Crime Stoppers offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to his arrest, but it's also unclear if information from a member of the public led to Eason's capture.

Police also didn't reveal where they located the suspect or whether he turned himself into authorities as he was being sought. Another press briefing on the matter with amplified details is scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 23, police said. Meanwhile, the Travis County Medical Examiner is scheduled to perform an autopsy on Tuesday, although police previously said the case is being treated as a homicide.

Detectives urge anyone who may have information about this incident to call the Homicide Tip Line at 512-477-3588 or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS or text "Tip 103" with the message to CRIMES.

>>> Waymon Keith Eason booking photo provided by Austin Police Department