HOUSTON, Texas — Attorneys for the family of a Texas A&M student who died after falling from a West Campus apartment building are calling on the Texas Rangers to investigate, accusing Austin police of rushing to judgment and failing to conduct a thorough investigation.

Attorney Tony Buzbee said Friday that the Austin Police Department should select a new lead investigator and reopen the probe into the death of 19-year-old Brianna Aguilera, whose body was found early Nov. 30 at the 21 Rio apartment complex.

If they refuse, he plans to formally request Gov. Greg Abbott engage the Texas Rangers to investigate.

“This was sloppy. It was not thorough,” Buzbee said at the Houston press conference. “The Austin Police Department has disqualified itself from further investigation in this matter.”

Buzbee and the Gamez law firm are representing Aguilera’s parents, who reject the Austin Police Department’s determination that their daughter died by suicide.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

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Buzbee criticized APD for holding a news conference before completing elements of the investigation, including the autopsy and toxicology report.

“The autopsy has not been completed,” Buzbee said. “The medical examiner’s office told us that it will not be completed for 60 to 90 days. Yet you had the lead detective in front of millions of people saying that he had concluded that this was a suicide.”

Buzbee said only the medical examiner has legal authority to determine the cause of death, not police detectives.

Aguilera’s mother, Stephanie Rodriguez, spoke about her daughter, describing her as an honor student, former cheerleader, and political science major who wanted to become a criminal defense attorney.

“My daughter was not suicidal,” Rodriguez said. “I know my daughter better than anyone. We spoke every day.”

Buzbee said the family’s investigators have identified witnesses police did not interview.

The attorney said he would submit a detailed packet of evidence to the governor’s office and Texas Rangers, including statements from 30 to 40 pages of information.

Austin police said Thursday that security footage, witness statements, a deleted suicide note on Aguilera’s phone, and previous suicidal comments led them to their conclusion.

“At no time did any evidence point to this being anything of a criminal nature,” lead homicide detective Robert Marshall said Thursday.

Austin Police responded to the claims made on Friday in the following statement:

The Austin Police (APD) stands by the information that we provided yesterday during our news conference regarding the tragic death of Brianna Aguilera on Saturday, November 29, 2025. We would like to reiterate a couple keys points. The Travis County Medical Examiner determines the cause and manner of death, and APD has never made a determination in this case. Our role is to conduct an investigation and follow the evidence. This investigation remains open, and at no point has APD stated otherwise.

We understand emotions are extremely high and that Brianna’s passing has brought immense pain to her loved ones. We share in that sorrow. This is still an active and ongoing investigation. The misinformation that has been shared harms innocent people and jeopardizes the integrity of the investigative process. From the beginning, our priority has been and continues to be, to conduct a thorough, complete, and respectful investigation.