KXAN Investigates

On a “From the Vault” edition of “Inside the Investigation,” KXAN Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle and Senior Investigative Producer David Barer revisit their 2017 "Fallen" project on Texas police officers shot and killed in the line of duty, along with updates to the topic still playing out today across Texas.

Less than a month into Senate Bill 10 going into effect -- posters of the Ten Commandments are now posted in thousands of Texas public school classrooms. This week on Inside the Investigation … Investigative Reporter Kelly Wiley shows you how school districts are attempting to comply with the new law while parent and religious groups sue to block the posters from ever going up.

As Texas heads into its second rainy season of the year, a KXAN investigation found regional vacancies at the National Weather Service’s Austin and San Antonio office are only increasing two months after deadly flooding killed at least 135 people. This week on Inside the Investigation, Investigative Reporter Matt Grant explains why a member of congress and a former federal official believes the delay could be putting lives at risk.
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For years, theories of a serial killer in Downtown Austin have been shared widely on social media, despite investigators continually denying the existence of one. This week on Inside the Investigation, Senior Investigator David Barer breaks down how and why a new study found "no evidence" of the Lady Bird Lake serial killer. 

For nearly three years, KXAN has uncovered turnover, backlogs and months-long delays for victims of violent crimes trying to get help from the state of Texas. This week on Inside the Investigation, Senior Investigative Producer David Barer breaks down the long-awaited improvements that could bring critical financial assistance to victims quickly.

Starting September 1, a new Texas law will take effect, aimed at helping families who are collectively owed billions of dollars in back child support. This week on Inside the Investigation, Investigative Reporter Arezow Doost explains why some parents waiting on child support are not hopeful the new law will help them.

After a Texas school board adopted a plan to replace school leadership and some teachers from its lowest-performing schools… a KXAN investigation found district leaders scrambled to fill vacancies with quote “highly effective” educators… just days before the start of school. This week on Inside the Investigation, we break down why Austin Independent School District leaders believe the plan will prevent the state from intervening in the local control of its schools.

Three people, including a four-year-old girl, are dead after a gunman opened fire in the parking lot of the Northwest Austin Target. This week on Inside the Investigation, Investigative Reporter Kelly Wiley and City Hall Reporter Grace Reader breakdown the alleged shooter's long history of violence.

The Texas Historical Commission is ordering a small Texas town to stop working on a multimillion-dollar flood mitigation project after learning it could impact a historic cemetery where people who were enslaved are buried. This week on Inside the Investigation, Senior Investigative Reporter David Barer and Investigative Reporter Kelly Wiley explain why a city of less than 1,300 people may have to pay back more than $1 million in grant funds they’ve already used.

The City of Pflugerville spent more than $250,000 on a brand-new dispatch and record management system for its police department. But records show just one year later, the city is ditching the new system and cutting ties with the developer. This week on Inside the Investigation, Senior Investigative Producer David Barer explains the issues city officials say they faced during their brief experience with the software.