Austin Police Deny Misconduct After Investigation Finds Texas A&M Student’s Death Was Suicide

Austin Police Respond to Online Claims After Death of Brianna Aguilera Ruled Suicide

Austin police publicly addressed online allegations and family speculation after investigators concluded the death of 19-year-old Texas A&M student Brianna Marie Aguilera was a suicide. Authorities said inaccurate reports circulating online have injured bystanders and complicated the investigation.

Chief Lisa Davis said at a Dec. 4 news conference that it is unusual for the department to speak publicly about a suicide, but misinformation had prompted the statement. "It is not common for a police department to speak publicly about a death by suicide, but inaccurate information has circulated and been reported, and that has led to additional harm of innocent people, bullying, included, and their families," Davis said. She added she understands the family's need for answers but warned that "sometimes the truth doesn't provide the answers we are hoping for, and that is this case."

Family Concerns and Public Speculation

Aguilera's mother, Stephanie Rodriguez, told PEOPLE she did not believe her daughter would take her own life and suggested several possibilities, including that Aguilera might have been pushed from the balcony or fallen while intoxicated. Rodriguez said she had been unable to reach her daughter in the hours before the incident and believed there may have been an altercation in the apartment.

"I'm thinking either someone shoved her over the balcony, or when my daughter does drink, she has the tendency [to fall asleep], and she's so thin and frail, she cannot handle alcohol," Rodriguez told PEOPLE. She also suggested a dispute over a boyfriend may have played a role.

Investigators' Findings

Police said Aguilera's body was found the morning of Saturday, Nov. 29 beneath a 17th-floor unit at the 21 Rio apartment tower on the University of Texas at Austin West Campus. Investigators reported Aguilera had been in the unit with three other young women prior to the fall.

Lead homicide detective Robert Marshall said witnesses and phone records confirmed a one-minute call between Aguilera and her boyfriend at approximately 12:43–12:44 a.m.—about two minutes before the 911 call that reported a body on the pavement below. Marshall described the investigative steps: interviewing witnesses (some multiple times), collecting and processing video, and examining phone records.

Police also traced Aguilera's earlier movements that evening. She attended a tailgate at the Austin Rugby Club on Friday, Nov. 28, arriving between 4 and 5 p.m. and leaving around 10 p.m. Witnesses told officers Aguilera was asked to leave the tailgate, repeatedly dropped her phone, and staggered into nearby woods. Video and witness accounts identified a brief physical incident in which Aguilera punched a friend who had been attempting to help her—police say that is the only identified physical altercation tied to the events that evening.

Homicide Sgt. Nathan Sexton emphasized that the department relies on the totality of evidence. "Every investigation, we have to rely on the evidence and all evidence in this case is indicative of suicide," he said.

Concerns About Misinformation

Marshall and other investigators said false or premature public allegations have made the inquiry more difficult and harmed people unrelated to the case. They urged the public to allow investigators to complete their work and to avoid sharing unverified claims that can retraumatize witnesses and family members.

Mental Health Resources: If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, or substance use, you can call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for free, confidential 24/7 support.

Reporting note: Statements from Aguilera’s mother were given to PEOPLE; police descriptions and quotes are from Austin Police Department officials at a Dec. 4 press conference.