Anita Byington: Travis County DA dismisses case against convicted killer
Travis Co. DA dismisses case against convicted killer
The Travis County District Attorney has dismissed the case against Allen Andre Causey. Causey was convicted of the 1991 murder of Anita Byington.
AUSTIN, Texas - The Travis County District Attorney has dismissed the case against Allen Andre Causey.
Causey was convicted of the 1991 murder of Anita Byington. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Timeline:
In 2022, Allen Andre Causey was released from TDCJ on parole.
In 2023, Innocence Project of Texas attorneys filed a petition seeking a new trial claiming the only evidence against Causey was a confession he was coerced into, and evidence was withheld.
In August 2024, a district judge ruled there was not enough evidence for an actual innocence filing. Court filings point to another possible suspect, Kevin Harris, who was last seen with Byington on the night of her death.
Convicted killer seeks to clear name
The family of Anita Byington, a 21-year-old woman who was killed in Austin in 1991, is speaking out. Her convicted killer, Allen Andre Causey, is fighting for his innocence, he claims the police and prosecutors got it wrong 30 years ago.
The judge’s ruling read, "While the newly discovered evidence inculpates Kevin Harris, it does not constitute affirmative evidence of applicant’s innocence."
The case was sent to the court of criminal appeals.
In April 2025, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals noted there was new evidence including DNA implicating an alternate suspect, testimony from witnesses contradicted parts of Causey’s confession, and allegations of police misconduct.
The court did not find that the evidence showed Causey to be actually innocent but found "habeas relief should be granted based on the State’s unknowing use of false testimony."
The Source: Information from the Travis County District Attorney and previous FOX 7 Austin coverage