KXAN Investigates

A KXAN investigation found after the Texas Attorney General's Office agreed to pay an assault victim $5,000 from the state’s crime victims’ compensation fund, the state kept nearly half the money to pay the victim’s unrelated state debts, including unpaid tuition. This week, on “Inside the Investigation,” Investigative Reporter Matt Grant takes you inside the latest update to our “Held Up” series, explaining a new twist to the program – the state can withhold assistance earmarked to help victims of violent crimes – a uniquely harsh stance compared to every other state we reviewed.  After seeing our findings, two state lawmakers said they want to explore changes to the state's laws for clawing back crime victim assistance.

Dozens of Texas educators risk losing their ability to teach over comments they made on social media in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination. This week on Inside the Investigation, KXAN Investigative Reporter Kelly Wiley explains how teachers, attorneys, unions – and school districts themselves are calling into question the lawfulness of the state’s investigation.

Rumors of a serial killer still cloud Mitchell Gutierrez's mind years after his little brother, Martin, disappeared from a shoreside entertainment district in downtown Austin. For days, their family joined police searching for the young man, before his body surfaced in Lady Bird Lake. A KXAN analysis of autopsy reports and law enforcement records reveals he was among at least 30 drowning victims – many intoxicated – over the past decade in this urban waterway.As criminal conspiracies spread through social media, we sought answers by comparing Austin’s drowning numbers to other cities with similar features. Our data-driven, multi-platform investigation also examines solutions effectively preventing tragedies elsewhere – tactics local leaders are now exploring after our findings.This week, on a special, on-location edition of our weekly “Inside the Investigation” program, KXAN Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle and Investigative Reporter Arezow Doost discuss updates to their team’s “Beneath the Surface” project and where the investigation could go next.

On a “From the Vault” edition of “Inside the Investigation,” KXAN Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle and Senior Investigative Producer David Barer revisit KXAN's "Locked in Limbo" investigation into jail mental competency delays, along with updates to the topic still playing out today across Texas.
 
 
 
 

Two years have passed since 14-year-old Treysuhr Carter was found lying unconscious on a residential street just blocks from her Northeast Austin home. After police determined Carter’s death was an accident, a KXAN Investigation revealed missteps in the investigation – including failing to gather key evidence at the scene, prompting police to re-open the investigation.  This week on Inside the Investigation, Senior Investigative Producer David Barer explains why, after second review, the case is closed and cleared with no charge.

Nearly two years after a car barreled through an Austin emergency room, hitting and injuring a couple and their two young children, and the family is finally getting some closure. This week on Inside the Investigation, Investigative Reporter Matt Grant shares a major update for the family: a settlement with the hospital.

On a “From the Vault” edition of “Inside the Investigation,” KXAN Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle and Investigative Reporter Josh Hinkle revisit KXAN's "A History of Mass Violence" investigation into mass shootings from 1980 to 2019, along with updates to the topic still playing out today across Texas.

In Cedar Park, Texas – a million-dollar church expansion is creating tension between homeowners and faith leaders. This week on Inside the Investigation – Investigative Reporter Taylor Alanis breakdowns why the neighborhood fears the church’s growth will hurt their property values.
 

After deadly floods killed more than 100 people in the Texas hill country — lawmakers accused of the Upper Guadalupe River Authority of failing to protect people from the dangers of the river. This week on Inside the Investigation — Investigative Reporter Matt Grant looks into who holds controls Texas’ rivers – and new calls to reform the century old system.

In Texas, early state data shows the number of infant deaths has increased more than 7 percent since 2021. This week on Inside the Investigation – Investigative Reporter Arezow Doost explains how a new law is giving Texas families more time to say goodbye.