AUSTIN, Texas – UPDATE (10/24/2025 at 12:49 p.m.): In a social media post, the Karnes County Sheriff’s Office officially extradited Severiano Valdonado, 38, back to Karnes County.
Valdonado returned to the county on Friday, Oct. 24.
Below is the original story from Oct. 1, 2025.
ORIGINAL: Thanks to a multi-county and multi-agency effort, the Karnes County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a man accused of shooting and killing a woman in Runge nearly two weeks ago.
According to the sheriff’s office, Texas Department of Public Safety Bicycle Patrol Unit troopers came across a person who appeared to be Severiano Valdonado, 38, at a homeless encampment on Wednesday morning in downtown Austin.
Valdonado was camping along a river and in violation of the city’s camping ordinance.
KCSO deputies said Valdonado attempted to flee from the troopers, but the troopers caught up to him, tased him and took him into custody.
According to Travis County Jail records, Valdonado was booked on six charges just before 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Four of those charges are non-Travis County offenses.
The other two Travis County charges are for evading arrest and intending to give false information. The evading arrest charge is considered a state jail felony, while the charge of intending to give false information is a misdemeanor.
Valdonado is accused of shooting Michelle Jannsen at a home just before 11 p.m. on Sept. 18 in the 800 block of Leckie Street, which is located in Runge.
When deputies arrived, Karnes County Sheriff Steven Bailey said deputies administered first aid to the victim, but she was later pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Bailey, deputies at the time believed Valdonado fled before they arrived at the home.
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