TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas – A Travis County judge has set a tentative date for the trial of Shane James Jr., who is facing serious charges connected to a tragic case of multiple murders that occurred around three years ago in the Austin area.
In a recent court appearance, Shane James Jr. stood before Judge Cliff Brown in the 147th Criminal District Court of Travis County. During this session, Judge Brown confirmed that jury selection for James’ trial is scheduled to commence on Monday, October 26. This announcement is particularly significant, as it comes less than a year after James was declared competent to stand trial.
James faces accusations of committing four murders in the Austin area back in December 2023. According to the Austin Police Department, the first victim was Emmanuel Pop Ba, a 32-year-old man who was shot and killed during a carjacking on December 5, 2023, in the 7300 block of Shadywood Drive.
Witnesses reported that Sabrina Rahman, a 24-year-old woman, was on the porch of a nearby home when she saw the shooting. Tragically, James allegedly shot and killed her too, narrowly missing her baby who was in a stroller nearby. This incident marked the beginning of a violent series of events that day.
Later that same day, investigators say James broke into a home in the 5300 block of Austral Loop, resulting in the deaths of two more women, identified as Katherine Short, 56, and her daughter Lauren Short, 30. Furthermore, James is also accused of shooting at law enforcement officers and a bicyclist during his violent spree before being arrested on the same day.
The Bexar County Connection
Interestingly, there is a connection to Bexar County in this case. According to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, James, now 37, is also accused of shooting and killing his parents before the Austin murders. On December 5, 2023, deputies responded to a home in the 6400 block of Port Royal that was leaking water and discovered the bodies of a man and a woman inside.
During a news conference the following day, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar identified the victims as James’ parents: Shane James Sr., 56, and Phyllis James, 55. As of the latest updates, there do not appear to be any formal charges against James Jr. in Bexar County’s court system for these alleged acts.
