Texas State Police are still investigating the death of Brianna Aguilera, a Texas A&M student, while her family’s lawyer scrutinizes how the case has been handled. They have requested the case be turned over to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Aguilera, 19, tragically fell from a high-rise apartment in Austin around 1 a.m. on November 29, shortly after attending a football game between Texas A&M and the University of Texas.
Recently, the Austin Police Department announced that they concluded Aguilera’s death was a suicide, a claim that her family disputes. Police Chief Lisa Davis emphasized the rarity of discussing suicide publicly, but mentioned that misinformation is causing further distress to families involved, leading to incidents like bullying.
Authorities reported that Aguilera had deleted a suicide note from her phone before her death, and had also sent a message to friends suggesting suicidal thoughts shortly before the incident. They indicated that conversations had taken place between her and friends, hinting at her struggles.
However, Aguilera’s family attorney, Tony Buzbee, criticized these conclusions, highlighting that autopsy and toxicology results were incomplete. He also raised doubts about the legitimacy of the alleged suicide note found on Aguilera’s phone. Buzbee pointed out that the note may have been misclassified, as Aguilera had been a creative writing student and had written multiple essays.
Buzbee further noted that a TikTok video from a resident of the same apartment complex claimed they heard an argument shortly before Aguilera’s fall. This report included statements suggesting distress, with phrases like “get away from me” being heard. Interestingly, Aguilera was reportedly arguing with her boyfriend just two minutes prior to the initial call to 911 regarding her condition.
The Austin police department maintains their stance on the investigation despite Buzbee’s comments. They reiterated that the inquiry remains open and that they have yet to determine the cause of death—this would ultimately fall to the Travis County Coroner.
Buzbee has called for the investigation to be transferred to Texas DPS, alleging errors in how the police managed the case. Yet, the president of the Austin Police Association suggested it’s unusual for a case to be reassigned simply due to familial dissatisfaction.
Requests for comments from APD, Buzbee, Texas DPS, and the governor’s office went unanswered.
