HOUSTON, Texas – Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Friday that his office is offering an additional reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person who killed Austin Kanuch in 2023.
“Cecilia and I continue to mourn the tragic loss of Austin Kanuch after he was brutally stabbed in Harris County, and we pray for his family and loved ones,” said Governor Abbott. “The State of Texas remains in regular coordination with local law enforcement to provide all necessary resources to ensure those responsible are brought to justice and face the full weight of the law for this heinous crime. I encourage Texans with information relating to this crime to call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline or submit an anonymous tip online. With the public’s help, we will ensure justice is served.”
What happened?
On Sept. 22, 2023 39-year-old Kanuch was killed around 4 a.m. at his rental home in the 8600 block of Greenleaf Lake Drive.
The attack happened while Kanuch was asleep in his bed. Investigators believe it was a targeted incident, though a clear motive remains unknown. A weapon, described only as an “edged weapon,” was recovered at the scene.
Detectives confirmed surveillance video shows the suspect approaching the Kanuch’s home on a mountain bike, but the footage only reveals a thin, post-adolescent person.
Investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said in the past two years, they have received a handful of tips, but nothing solid.
In addition to the state reward, Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering a reward of up to $20,000, bringing the total reward amount up to $40,000.
To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities using one of the following methods:
- Call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477)
- Submit a tip online.
All tips are anonymous regardless of how they are submitted, and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name. Callers’ anonymity is guaranteed by law.