One Arrested, One Still Sought After Double Murder Outside Austin Nightclub

A Holiday Weekend Turns Deadly Outside Austin Nightclub

Deputies responded to a 911 call reporting shots fired just before 4 a.m. on July 5 in the 9700 block of Reservoir Court, the site of the Bare Cabaret, in northeast Austin. What began as a late-night crowd spilling out of an after-hours club ended in the deaths of two young people and launched a manhunt that is still unfolding today.

A fight in a crowded parking lot outside the Travis County gentlemen's club escalated into a shooting that left a man and a woman dead, with an estimated 400 people inside the establishment and packed into the parking lot when the gunfire erupted, creating a chaotic scene for arriving emergency personnel. Bare Cabaret is advertised as an "after hours" spot that is typically open from midnight until 6 a.m. on weekends.

The Victims: Two Young Lives Lost

Two people died following the incident. The Travis County Sheriff's Office released their identities on July 10 as 19-year-old Layla Williamson and 23-year-old VT Wood-Davion Olden Hornsby. An altercation in the parking lot escalated and multiple shots were fired. Hornsby died at the scene, and Williamson died later at a local hospital.

Layla Williamson's father, Antwan Williamson, spoke publicly about his grief. "A parent's worst nightmare," he said, describing the moment he learned his daughter had been killed. What should have been a holiday weekend with friends ended in tragedy. "She just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time," he said. Investigators noted that the parties involved knew each other and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

One Suspect in Custody, Another Still at Large

The Travis County Sheriff's Office issued warrants for James Mackeise Shearrion, 19, and Kevin Curtis Parrish, 20, and said additional arrests could follow. Both have been charged with murder of multiple persons, a capital felony. Parrish was taken into custody and booked into the Travis County Jail on Saturday. Shearrion, however, remains unaccounted for as of today.

Records show Parrish currently has four active cases for unlawful carrying of a weapon, prohibited weapon, and evading arrest. He had been accepted into a diversion program back in April and had a review coming up. The Travis County Sheriff's Office also issued an additional warrant on Saturday for 38-year-old Precious Josslyn Shearrion, accused of hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence.

A Broader Pattern of Violence in Austin

The Bare Cabaret shooting did not occur in isolation. The shooting came just hours after Austin police responded to a separate fatal shooting at a bar on East Braker Lane late Saturday night, where one man died and another was hospitalized. The Austin Police Department is investigating Austin's 32nd homicide of 2026 after yet another shooting at a north Austin bar left one dead and one hurt.

TCSO noted that "this investigation has been a collaborative effort involving TCSO Detectives, the Austin Police Department, the Austin ISD Police Department, local business owners, and members of the community," adding that "their assistance has been instrumental in identifying individuals believed to be involved in this case." The investigation is ongoing and additional warrants may be issued. With one suspect now behind bars and another still being sought, the case is a stark reminder of how quickly a summer night can shatter lives — and how much work remains before families like the Williamsons can find any measure of justice.