Austin and Bastrop Mourn Desiree Gauna and Mariana Montoya Palacios as Investigation Continues

 Austin and Bastrop, Texas, are mourning the deaths of Desiree Gauna, 27, and Mariana Montoya Palacios, 20, two young women whose lives ended in separate shootings examined as part of the same broader investigation. The events left families grieving while authorities worked to establish the circumstances. Palacios died Sunday, September 13, 2026, at Fisherman’s Park in Bastrop after authorities said she was shot by her former boyfriend, Manuel Salgado Vasquez, 22, of Cedar Creek. Gauna was later found dead at an Austin residence on Tuesday.

According to Bastrop police, Palacios had met Salgado at Fisherman’s Park on September 13. Authorities said the two had previously been romantically involved. Investigators reported that Salgado shot Palacios at close range before shooting himself. Officers responding to the park found him with a gunshot wound and arranged transportation to a local hospital. Palacios was pronounced deceased at the scene. Salgado remained hospitalized for two days before dying from his injuries Tuesday, September 15, at approximately 2:58 p.m., according to authorities.

The investigation subsequently brought attention to Gauna’s death in Austin. Police said officers went to a residence at 744 W. William Cannon Drive around 8:26 a.m. Tuesday for a welfare check. A family member had reported being unable to reach Gauna, prompting officers to respond. When they arrived, authorities found her with injuries consistent with gunshot wounds. Gauna was pronounced deceased at 8:49 a.m. The circumstances surrounding her death remain part of the investigation, and authorities have not established every detail publicly.

For the families of Gauna and Palacios, the timeline represents only a small part of what they are experiencing. Both women were daughters, friends, and loved ones whose lives extended beyond the circumstances now being examined. Their deaths have created absences that cannot be measured through police statements alone. Relatives and friends are left to remember personal moments, relationships, plans, and experiences that defined these women before their names became part of a developing investigation.

The two cases also demonstrate why careful attention to confirmed facts matters while an investigation is underway. Authorities have publicly described Palacios’s meeting with Salgado, the shooting at Fisherman’s Park, Salgado’s subsequent hospitalization and death, and the welfare check that led officers to Gauna. Those details establish a chronology, but they do not answer every question about motive, planning, or the precise relationship between the events. Unconfirmed claims should therefore remain separate from findings made by investigators.

Austin and Bastrop residents are watching for further developments as law enforcement agencies continue examining the deaths. Investigators may release additional details as evidence is reviewed. Until then, the known facts remain limited to what authorities have publicly stated. The available account does not provide detailed biographies of either woman, including occupations, education, or broader community activities. Adding unsupported personal details would risk overshadowing the people they were and the families now grieving.

Desiree Gauna and Mariana Montoya Palacios will be remembered by their loved ones for lives that cannot be reduced to their deaths. For those closest to them, memories may center on conversations, shared experiences, affection, and ordinary moments that gave relationships meaning. As investigators continue their work, the families face mourning while answers remain incomplete. The Austin and Bastrop communities can recognize the cost of these deaths and allow investigators to establish what happened through verified evidence.