Austin police asking for public's help to solve year-old murder case

It has been just over a year since police began investigating the death of 65-year-old Felix Serrano.

Serrano was found assaulted and robbed at a home where he was working construction. He died after being taken to a hospital.

Now, police are asking for the public's help to find any new evidence or leads to help solve the case.

“Not having any answers is not easy,” said Lidia Serrano, the victim’s daughter. 

Lidia has been searching for answers about her father's murder for more than a year, ever since July 20, 2016, when she got the phone call from her sister alerting her that her father, Felix, had been beaten and robbed.

“How could someone do that to anyone, especially a person like him?” Lidia asked. 

Serrano was working on a construction project at a home on Kirkoswald Road at the time of the crime.

The 65-year-old drywall worker was alone, the way he preferred to get the job done.

“It leans more towards random and more towards a robbery, however, we're not ruling out the possibility that the attacker knew him,” said Austin Police Detective Nathan Sexton.

Police said Serrano's phone and wallet were taken by his attacker. His wallet has since reappeared with no clues as to who may have had it. What happened to the phone is still a mystery.

“I still am hopeful because all it takes is one person who’s heard something, who’s seen something, to come forward,” Sexton said.

Lidia is still confused at why a robber would take those belongings from her father and leave his expensive tools behind.
               
“We still don't understand exactly what happened or why it happened,” said Lidia. 

APD hoped to answer that question for the Serrano family, but detectives said most of their leads have gone cold and they need help from the public to move forward.

“If anyone's heard anything in the previous year, it's just been over one year, so we're hoping if anyone's heard, whether from a suspect, or a witness, or anyone that might know this gentleman, may know a motive for anyone else, any information would be greatly helpful,” Sexton said. 

Lidia said the pain of losing her dad in such a brutal way will never go away and now there's only one way she can imagine finding any peace.

“To find who did it and get justice, because I don't see a reason good enough to do this to someone, especially not him,” said Lidia.

Austin police are asking anyone with information about this or any other similar crime in the same area last July to provide them with that information.

The Homicide Tip Line can be reached by calling 512-477-3588 or texting "Tip 103" to CRIMES or 274637.