AUSTIN (KXAN) – A dispatcher with the Austin Police Department was able to lead officers to the scene of a homicide by using the sound of the officer’s voices becoming louder on a 911 call, according to a Travis County murder affidavit.
On March 22, Austin police officers responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex in the 5800 block of Techni Center Drive.
“Austin 9-1-1 received a call from a female screaming ‘I’ve been shot!’” the affidavit said.
According to records, the dispatcher tried to get information from the caller but could only hear the woman, later identified as 27-year-old Shahre-ka Mays, making noises and a possible fire alarm in the background. Records said Mays stopped answering any of her questions and the line went silent.
“[An] APD Officer arrived on scene and searched for [Mays] through the apartment complex by checking door to door,” the affidavit said. “APD Dispatch was able to guide the patrol officers on scene by the sound of their voices becoming louder on the call.”
Officers found the apartment unit and entered to check the welfare of anyone inside. In the unit, officers found Mays face down and suffering from multiple, life-threatening gunshot wounds, according to the affidavit. At the time, her identity was unknown.
The following day, March 23, APD officers conducted a search warrant for the apartment unit because Mays’ injuries were not self-inflicted and prompted a murder investigation.
During the investigati on, 33-year-old Timothy Pace was identified as the main suspect. Pace was in a romantic relationship with Mays, according to police.
APD said the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force members and United States Marshals Service arrested Pace on March 23 on a murder charge.
KXAN has reached out to Pace’s attorney Wednesday, who said they would “not be making any statements at this time.”