Police Search for Murder Weapon (1964)

This silent news footage shows officers with the Austin Police Department searching for the gun used to kill Officer Donald Eugene Carpenter. On January 28, 1964, Carpenter responded to a burglary alert at a motel at the intersection of South Congress Avenue and Annie Street. The suspect shot Carpenter with a .32 caliber revolver and fled the scene, remaining at large for two weeks. Upon arrest, the accused told officers he threw the revolver into Lake Austin, where it was located after a four day search. As depicted here, the police used search lights, metal detectors, divers, large magnets, and a great deal of manpower to successfully locate the murder weapon.