An Austin police officer resigned, according to a report Wednesday on KXAN.com. He was the same officer who was previously accused of staging his own death nearly five months ago.
Austin PD said Coleman Martin, 29, disappeared into the interior of Mexico in an “elaborate ruse.”
In April, his truck along with a suicide note was found on the shores of Lake Amistad on the Texas border with Mexico.
Martin sent a text message to his wife with a photo of his handwritten suicide note, saying he was going to drown himself in a lake.
Detectives interviewed a woman who had a “close relationship” with Martin, who was not his wife. She told police Martin emailed her admitting he had staged his death and his disappearance was a success.
Austin police issued an arrest warrant for Martin for false report which was a Class A misdemeanor.
According to KXAN.com, the Austin Police Association President estimated the cost of the manpower and equipment to search for Martin was in the tens of thousands of dollars.
On May 3, Martin was arrested at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport after flying from Colombia on his way to Austin. He was also put on restricted duty at the department.
Police on Wednesday said Martin’s resignation was effective immediately.
