Possible Evidence Tampering Probed In WilCo In-Custody Death

AUSTIN, TX — The Travis County district attorney on Friday said her office is continuing to investigate the in-custody death of a man after a police pursuit by Williamson County deputies — a probe that now may include possible evidence tampering.

The case dates to March 28, 2019, when Williamson County deputies pursued Javier Ambler, 40, after he failed to dim his headlights as he passed them on the way to his Pflugerville home. The Williamson County Sheriff's Office said a 22-minute chase ensued before Ambler crashed his car in North Austin. Video footage of the arrest later surfaced, showing Ambler telling deputies he was unable to breathe before he passed away while in custody.

A crew from the now-canceled reality program "Live PD" filmed the incident, although it never aired due to the death. The incident has given renewed rise to criticism that participation in the program by Williamson County Sheriff's Office led to deputies acting more aggressively in enforcing the law for the benefit of the cameras.

Previous coverage:

• New Details Of In-Custody WilCo Death Further Ignite Anger
• WilCo Sheriff Refuses To Resign After In-Custody Death
  
• Calls Grow For WilCo Sheriff To Resign After In-Custody Death
  
• WilCo Sheriff Chody Finds Himself Under Unwelcome Spotlight

Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody has since framed Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore's pursuit of a full investigation as politically motivated. Via Twitter, Chody has repeatedly accused Moore of not actively pursuing a probe into the man's death. In her statement released on Friday, Moore assured her motivations were not fueled by politics.

"Our Offices are in the process of a joint investigation into the death of Javier Ambler. We are united in our purpose in obtaining long deserved answers for the family of Mr. Ambler," Moore said in a prepared statement. "We are sorry for their loss and will do everything in our power to address the circumstances around his death, including the lack of cooperation with the investigation."

In terms of Chody's accusations of a political motive for her investigation, Moore said: "We want to emphasize that this is not a partisan or political undertaking. This is a search for the truth and is necessary because even now we have not obtained the information we seek from Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody, despite his public statements pledging cooperation."

She added the Austin Police Department is aiding in the investigation. It was bodycam footage from an Austin officer that shed details into Ambler's in-custody death. Reached previously by Patch, a "Live PD" representative said footage of the incident taken from production crews has been destroyed. It's unknown if any dashcam video or bodycam video from Williamson County Sheriff's Office deputies exists.

"In order to pursue justice in the matter of the death of Javier Ambler, our offices are sharing resources and information to coordinate a unified investigation," Moore said. "The Travis County D.A.’s Civil Rights Unit, in conjunction with the Austin Police Department, is taking the lead in the officers’ use of force investigation, while the Williamson County D.A.’s Office will take the lead in the investigation involving possible tampering with evidence by personnel from Williamson County Agencies who have had contact or communications with the television show, Live PD."

Moore declined further comment, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation: "Due to the nature of Grand Jury investigations, we will not be able to address specific questions about these ongoing investigations at this time."