KXAN Investigates

KXAN Investigate – E26: Debunking the Lady Bird Lake Serial Killer (Sept 12, 2025)

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. 

KXAN Investigates — E25: Texas has new rules to speed up aid for crime victims (Sept. 5, 2025)

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.

KXAN Investigates – E24: Can a new law help families owed billions in child support? (Aug. 31, 2025)

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.

KXAN Investigates – E23 Austin ISD's plan to bring its best teachers to its lowest performing schools (Aug. 22, 2025)

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.

KXAN Investigates -- E22: Target shooter kills 3 people in Austin (Aug. 15, 2025)

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.

KXAN investigates -- E21: The small town fight over a road, a cemetery and $6.6M (Aug. 8, 2025)

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.

KXAN Investigates -- E20: Texas city ditches $250K police system after a year (Aug. 1, 2025)

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.

KXAN Investigates -- E19 Texas lawmakers recovene after deadly floods in the Hill Country (July 25, 2025)

In what was supposed to be a special legislative session focused on consumable THC and congressional districts, Texas lawmakers are now focused on how they could have prevented the deadly floods that killed more than 100 people in Central Texas weeks earlier. This week on Inside the Investigation, KXAN’s Director of Investigations and Innovation, Josh Hinkle, explains the state’s missed opportunities to save lives.

KXAN Investigates – Bonus: The Legislative Grim Reaper (July 18, 2025)

A bill prompted by a KXAN investigation that would have modernized Texas’s antiquated system for investigating deaths in the state did not become law during the 89th legislative session. This week on Inside the Investigation … KXAN’s Director of Investigations and Innovation, Josh Hinkle, explains how lawmakers who pushed for changes -- plan to keep the topic alive.

KXAN Investigates -- E18: Devastation in Texas on July 4th weekend (July 11, 2025)

On what was supposed to be the long holiday weekend, quickly rising flood waters devastated many parts of Central Texas, killing more than a hundred men, women, and children and leaving even more missing. This week on Inside the Investigation, the KXAN team breaks down the desperate search for missing campers and loved ones and explains the concerns surrounding preparedness and response from officials at all levels.