Indictment Accuses 2 Officers Of Murdering Austin Scientist

CBS Dallas/Fort Worth

August 28, 2021

Two Texas police officers, including one already under a murder indictment, were indicted Friday in the July 2019 shooting of an Austin scientist who neighbors reported as having a mental health crisis.

A special Travis County grand jury indicted Austin police officers Christopher Taylor and Karl Krycia on murder and deadly conduct counts in the shooting death of Mauris de Silva. The shooting happened after neighbors in a downtown condominium building reported de Silva was having a psychotic break and holding a knife to his neck.

According to police reports, Taylor, Krycia and a third officer confronted de Silva and told him to drop the knife. When De Silva lowered the knife to his side and advanced toward the officers, Taylor and Krycia shot him while the third officer fired a stun gun.

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