Police Accuse Man Of Beating Woman To Death In South Austin

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX — Police have accused a man of beating a woman to death during an argument over a cell phone in South Austin, law enforcement officials said Monday.

Police responded to a disturbance at 1707 Riverside Dr. on Jan. 18 just before 9 p.m., where they saw two victims on the ground. One of the victims, 39-year-old Luz Muñoz, was unresponsive with massive head trauma, police said, while the other had wounds to the face. Muñoz was rushed to St. David's Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Investigators leaned from witnesses the two victims had been involved in a physical confrontation with two black males after an argument over a cell phone escalated to physical violence. During the assault, one of teh suspects was seen stomping on Muñoz's head as she lay on the ground.

Alexander Dwayne Holland, 44, was later identified as the suspect who had been stomping on Muñoz's head. On Jan. 20, detectives secured an arrest warrant for aggravated assault, a second-degree felony for Holland. Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force later found and arrested Holland.

The same day of the arrest, Muñoz died of her injuries, prompting the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office to rule the death as a homicide. By Jan. 23, the charge against Holland was elevated to murder, a first degree felony. He was booked into the Travis County Jail with bail set at $750,000.

Police said an additional arrest in the case is imminent as their investigation proceeds. Anyone with information is urged to notify police via the Homicide Tip Line at 512-477-3588 or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS or by texting "Tip 103" + the message to CRIMES. Those with information also can submit tips by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, for free on iPhone and Android.

>>> Alexander Dwayne Holland booking photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department