Eric LaMountain shot and killed Gavin Woo, police say. (Mugshot: Austin Police Department)
A Texas man used a location sharing app to track his ex-girlfriend with her new boyfriend and shoot him to death, authorities allege.
Eric LaMountain, 35, is charged with first-degree murder, the Austin Police Department announced on Friday. Officers identified the victim as 37-year-old Gavin Wood.
Homicide Investigation in the 1400 block of S Meadow Drive – https://t.co/hjTyK2iumN pic.twitter.com/FYj0L0qUc0
— Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) January 13, 2023
“On Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at approximately 3:29 a.m., Austin Police Department (APD) officers responded to a shooting in the 1400 block of S Meadows Drive,” officers said. “Officers arrived and found Gavin Wood on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds. Wood died on the scene.”
Detectives determined LaMountain fatally shot Wood “after an altercation.” The defendant left the scene but cops found him less than an hour later, they said.
The shooting allegedly stemmed from LaMountain’s disintegrating relationship with a woman. They had been dating, but he discovered her with Wood in the end of December, according to court documents obtained by KTBC. He allegedly used a location-sharing app to see she was at Wood’s home. She reportedly told LaMountain about the affair.
Rather than let her go, the defendant allegedly retaliated against Wood after the woman was at the man’s home again on Jan. 10. LaMountain allegedly texted her threats.
“In the messages, LaMountain says ‘I told you what I would do if you ever cheated on me and I still have his address,'” documents said, according to KXAN.
The woman asked him if he was going to kill her, according to the claims as reported by KTBC.
“Not you,” LaMountain allegedly answered. He sent her pictures of a gun and a screenshot of a ride-sharing app to show he was headed to Wood’s home, police said.
According to cops, the woman warned Wood, but the victim did not believe LaMountain to be a threat. He told her to go home.
LaMountain allegedly admitted in reports to dressing in just black and taking a ride-share to the man’s home. He allegedly his pistol-whipped Wood in the head. Police claim that the victim tried to flee, but LaMountain allegedly opened fire, pulling the trigger until the gun was empty. The defendant admitted he considered reloading but chose instead to flee, police said.
LaMountain remains at the Travis County Jail as of Monday, records show.
The Austin Police Department has sought the public’s assistance with any more information related to the case:
Anyone with any information should contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477.
LaMountain is represented by court-appointed attorney Andrea Keilan. His next hearing has been slated for Feb. 3, 2023, at Travis County’s 460th District Court in the Lone Star State’s capital city.
