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In the matter of a couple of days, Austin police went from preparing to mourn the passing of a fellow officer to issuing a warrant for his arrest.

That swing, said Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday, has disappointed and angered fellow police officers who initially took part in the search for 29-year-old Coleman “Cole” Martin.

“He was trying to scam the system,” Casaday  told KXAN-TV. “His friends on the department and all of the officers are very disappointed with his actions.

Martin, 29, now stands accused of faking his own suicide and vanishing into Mexico last week. There’s a warrant for his arrest on a misdemeanor charge.

Police say Martin was under “emotional distress” when his wife called 911 on April 25 and reported that he was suicidal.

Investigators with the Amistad National Recreation Area told KTBC-TV that they recovered Martin’s vehicle near the Amistad Reservoir on April 26.

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Along with the keys, officers found Martin’s wallet with no U.S. currency, a few personal items, and and an empty box for an inflatable raft. Martin’s passport was not found within the vehicle.

A search didn’t turn up Martin’s remains, but investigators found an inflatable raft on shore a few miles from Martin’s car.

During the investigation, detectives found that Martin’s email account had been accessed about five hours after he sent the suicide note to his wife. The IP address which accessed the email account was in Mexico.

A woman in what investigators called a “close relationship” with Martin said she had evidence that Martin was alive and that the entire event was an effort to stage his own death.

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In an email to the woman, detectives said, Martin described who he intentionally staged the scene with his vehicle by the Amistad Reservoir and rode a bike about 8 miles to a convenience store.

Surveillance footage from a gas station in Del Rio of Martin using the store clerk’s cell phone to call a taxi.

Based on the new developments, Austin Police charged Martin with false alarm or report, a Class A Misdemeanor. Anyone with information about Martin’s whereabouts may call the Austin Police Department at (512)974-5250 or 911.

Scroll through the gallery above to see other missing persons cases in Texas

1 Houston

Houston News & Search

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