Williamson County murder: Suspect's mother wants deeper investigation
WilCo murder suspect's mother wants deeper investigation
A murder suspect’s mother said her son acted in self-defense. The killing happened more than a year ago in Williamson County.
CEDAR PARK, Texas - A murder suspect’s mother said her son acted in self-defense. The killing happened more than a year ago in Williamson County.
Mother speaks out about son's arrest
What they're saying:
Shaunathan Raby just spent his 20th birthday in jail.
"It's been about 13 and a half months," Shaunathan Raby’s mother said.
It has been that long since Raby was arrested for the killing of 26-year-old Bodhi Lindman. His mother said the person she knows is different from the picture that can be painted by a murder charge.
Shaunathan Raby
"I would describe my son as a gentle, God-fearing young man with a big heart," Raby’s mother said.
She said Raby had just come home to take a break from college and got a job at a pizza shop in Cedar Park. Then in one night, everything changed.
"I was in shock because I know my son's true character. So, when I first heard it, somebody had confirmed it. I was really floored, as you can imagine as a mom, devastated, shaking. I mean, I just couldn't believe it," Raby’s mother said.
Deadly shooting in Leander
Dig deeper:
She reached out to FOX 7 because she believes there is more to the story than what’s in the arresting documents. It starts with what happened at Robin Bledsoe Park in Leander on July 29, 2025.
Court documents said Raby and another person met Linman and his friend at the park to buy marijuana. Police said an argument broke out over the payment and all four people eventually got out of the cars.
Investigators said Raby then fired six shots, four of them hit Linman, then Raby drove away and Linman later died.
Court documents said Raby "intentionally and knowingly caused Linman’s death while committing a robbery."
Shaunathan Raby
Raby’s mother said that account leaves out what she believes was the most important part.
"As my son was walking away to his car, Linman followed after my son and allegedly initiated the confrontation, made death threats, and pursued him around his vehicle with a weapon and at that moment, my son fired a few shots," Raby’s mother said.
She said Linman then got into Raby’s running car and accelerated towards Raby and his friend.
"Shaunathan only had milliseconds to react and fired a couple of shots at his own car windshield in attempt to stop what he reasonably believed was an immediate threat to him and his friends’ lives," Raby’s mother said.
Court documents do not indicate Linman had a gun. Raby’s mother said she doesn’t know where the gun her son used came from.
Still, she said she believes evidence will support what her son said happened.
"We are hoping that people see the case for what it really is and not just go off of the ending of the story, but look at all the events that occurred up until the outcome," Raby’s mother said.
What's next:
Raby is currently being held in the Williamson County Jail on a murder charge, along with five aggravated assault charges and one deadly conduct charge out of Travis County. He has a bond hearing Thursday.
A trial date is currently set for April 5, 2027.
The Source: Information from an interview with Shaunathan Raby’s mother, court documents, and reporting from FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis