City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date:
Contact: APD Public Information Office 512-974-5017 Email
Case: 23-0781490
Date: Sunday, March 19, 2023
Time: 10:53 p.m.
Location: 9000 block of Meridian Oak Lane
Deceased: John Ryan Kern, White male, 6/4/1986
Arrested: Zachary Salinas, White male, 31-years-old
On Sunday, March 19, 2023, at approximately 10:53 p.m., Austin's Emergency Communications Center received a call regarding a situation in the 9000 block of Meridian Oaks Lane. A man told 911 operators that his home was on fire. Austin Fire Department (AFD) firefighters and Austin Police Department (APD) officers responded to the scene. AFD entered the house and located John Ryan Kern, who appeared to have been stabbed. Kern died a short time later.
Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Specialists responded to process the scene. Investigators spoke with the man who reported the fire. Detectives discovered that Kern, the man's nephew, was also his roommate. A third roommate, Zachary Salinas, was later located by officers. During the investigation, it was determined that Salinas stabbed Kern to death in the residence and then attempted to burn down the home to destroy evidence.
Salinas was booked into the Travis County jail for first-degree Murder, first-degree Arson, and tampering with evidence.
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 calling 512-472-8477.
This case is being investigated as Austin's 18th homicide of 2023.