The Austin, TX, police officer reported missing on Wednesday is thought to be alive in Mexico and is facing criminal charges, the Austin Police Department confirmed Friday night, reports KVUE.
Officer Coleman Martin, 29, is facing a Class A misdemeanor charge of "false report," which caused a search for his whereabouts.
According to an affidavit, Martin's wife called police on Tuesday, April 25, and reported that he was suicidal. She told officers that he left their residence around 10 a.m. that morning, telling her he was leaving for a while to "clear his head." She stated that around 10:15 a.m. he sent her a text message containing a photo of a handwritten note that said he was going to commit suicide and drown himself in a lake near the border of Mexico.
The affidavit said that around 7 a.m. on April 26, law enforcement with the Amistad National Recreation Area reported that Martin's vehicle was found near the lake. A "suicide note," the same one Martin to his wife in a text message, was found on the seat of his vehicle.
Investigators discovered that Martin had a close relationship with a woman other than his wife. On April 27, investigators interviewed the woman and she provided evidence that Martin was still alive and the entire event had been an attempt to fake his own death. She showed investigators an email that Martin sent her after the alleged suicide telling her that it was a success.
