Father of Austin musician speaks out after daughter's murder

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The father of a murdered Austin artist spoke with KXAN on Thursday about his daughter's life.

Erika Evans, 26, of Austin, visited Portland recently. There, she was shot and killed in Wallace Park on the night of Sept. 23. The Portland Police Department is investigating Erika's death as a homicide.

Paul Evans, her father, lives in Austin. Erika grew up in the city and attended an AISD school. She was a member of the band "The Halfways", a henna tattoo artist, painter and poet.

"This is the tragedy that is incomprehensible to most people, but losing my daughter is the most profound tragedy of my entire life," Paul said. "She loved to create from nothing, something beautiful. And she loved to express herself through different ways."

Friends and family members will hold a candlelight vigil for Erika outside Guero’s Taco Bar (1412 S Congress Ave.) on Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m. Paul says that Erika frequently set up a typewriter there and wrote poetry for passersby.

Paul will travel to Portland over the next few days and hopes to see the places his daughter loved. He says that she was visiting Portland during an "adventure" on the west coast.

"She loved the California coast, especially Monterey. She lived there for a while, and she sang songs on the pier," Paul said. "I'm going to visit all the places that she loves so much on the west coast with the rest of my family."

Paul spoke to detectives involved in the case today. Neither he nor the Portland Police shared an update on the investigation with KXAN.

"The reality is, it doesn't matter why [the perpetrator] did it. I don't know if it doesn't really matter. All I want to know is if [the perpetrator] going to be punished," Paul said.

Paul asks that people make donations to The SAFE Alliance in order to help victims of violent relationships. He did not elaborate on if Erika had been in an abusive relationship.