Fox News personalities and friends of 62-year-old Andrew Wimsatt reacted with grief and outrage after the longtime fan and supremely gentle supporter of the networks talent was brutally stabbed to death in broad daylight in Austin, Texas.
According to Western Journal, the killing has intensified scrutiny of public safety in a city whose leadership has embraced progressive criminal-justice policies and presided over a well-documented decline in law and order. Wimsatt, a civil engineer and devoted supporter of libertarian and conservative causes, was remembered by those who knew him as a man whose quiet decency stood in stark contrast to the senseless violence that ended his life. The suspect, 26-year-old Benedict Chinedu Ogbodiegwu, now faces a murder charge, but authorities have yet to identify any clear motive, fueling concern that this was yet another random act of violence made possible by a system that fails to keep dangerous individuals off the streets.
Fox News host Greg Gutfeld, whose late-night show Wimsatt regularly supported, shared a deeply personal tribute on X, describing the victim as a man of extraordinary kindness and humility. This person was murdered this week in Austin Texas. He was one of the sweetest most helpful persons Ive ever met. Supremely gentle. Willing to do just about anything for another person. And he was stabbed to death on a street at 11 am in the morning. For no reason other than a maniac was free to roam the streets. Rest in peace Andrew. We wont forget you, Gutfeld wrote, capturing both the affection and the anger felt by many. His words underscored a broader frustration on the right with urban policies that appear to prioritize ideological experiments over basic public safety.
Gutfelds colleague Kat Timpf, who has often spoken publicly about her own struggles and personal losses, said she was almost too distraught to speak but felt compelled to honor her friend. Im too shocked, disgusted and angry to really even be commenting at this point, but I will anyway, she began, before explaining how Wimsatt had gone from being a fan to a cherished presence in her life. Andrew was a fan who became a friend. Cam and I just had lunch with him in [Fort] Worth in June, when he drove from Austin to see my return to the stage after my fathers sudden death in May, she wrote, highlighting his loyalty and compassion during one of her most difficult seasons.
Timpf went on to describe Wimsatt as a rare soul whose generosity was entirely unselfish, a quality that made his death feel especially cruel. Andrew was a rare person: Genuinely kind just for the sake of it; it quite clearly never occurred to him to expect anything in return, she continued, emphasizing that his goodness was instinctive rather than performative. I am haunted and horrified thinking of his final moments, and beyond furious that this was the end the world gave him, the same world that hed always gone out of his way to make a better place. We all love you Andrew, and we always will. Your kindness made you a legend.
Fox News contributor Tyrus, who knew Wimsatt through his appearances on the Gutfeld! show and his stand-up performances, called him a special fan whose presence was always uplifting. @ajwimsatt was murdered while sitting on a park bench enjoying some sun on his face Andrew was a special fan he loved the @Gutfeldfox show he began making clips of my segments when the show was once a week, Tyrus explained, recalling how Wimsatt quietly supported his work from the very beginning. He came to my stand up shows took care of his mother always positive he was kind man 62 years old fragile looking but had a monster laugh.
Tyrus did not hide his fury at the nature of the attack or the man accused of carrying it out, using blunt language that reflected the raw emotion many feel when confronted with such brutality. I was honored to know him I was honored he cared so much and honored that my jokes and thoughts brought him joy stabbed from behind by an absolute disgusting coward subhuman peace of s*** who after strapping him over and over walked off at had a nice lunch at McDonalds, he wrote, describing a crime that, to many, epitomizes the moral breakdown and lack of accountability plaguing too many American cities. His comments echoed a growing conservative sentiment that the justice system has become too lenient toward violent offenders, with innocent citizens paying the price.
Author Walter Kirn, another regular on Gutfelds program, praised Wimsatt for his quiet, consistent encouragement. He recalled how Wimsatt would make clips of my jokes & comments & send them to me, a small but meaningful gesture that spoke volumes about his character. Not many strangers will go out of their way to give another that kind of encouragement. He did it unflaggingly. Im shattered, Kirn wrote, summing up the sense of loss felt by those who had come to rely on Wimsatts steady, good-natured support.
David Burge, a longtime friend, offered a more detailed portrait of Wimsatts life and interests, painting a picture of a man who combined professional accomplishment with eclectic tastes and principled convictions. He described Wimsatt as a well respected civil engineer who worked in highway design and transportation research, a bit of a gentle avuncular Southern gentleman who was at the same time an afficionado of punk rock, pop surrealism art, and Midcentury Modern. Burge added that Wimsatts political commitments reflected a deep belief in liberty and open debate, noting, He was also a supporter of libertarian causes, particularly free speech on campus, before concluding, Supernice as they come, never an angry word about anyone, which makes this all the more incomprehensible RIP and Godspeed, Busty.
Authorities say Wimsatt was killed on Sept. 7, and local outlet KTBC-TV reported that Ogbodiegwu has been charged with murder in connection with the stabbing. According to an affidavit, a woman discovered Wimsatts body in a park late that night and told police he had extensive injuries, setting off an investigation that would soon reveal chilling video evidence of the attack.
Surveillance footage from a neighborhood homeowners association reportedly showed a white man in a button-down shirt and dark shorts sitting on a bench that morning, enjoying the day. Minutes later, the video captured a black man approaching from behind with a knife and repeatedly stabbing the seated victim in the neck, an ambush-style assault that left Wimsatt little chance to defend himself. Wimsatt tried to fight back, but he was unable to fend off the attack and ultimately succumbed to his wounds, a fact that has haunted those who knew how gentle and non-confrontational he was in life.
Investigators canvassed the surrounding area and soon located an SUV registered to Ogbodiegwus family at an address near the park, a key lead that brought them to the suspect. Detectives who spoke with Ogbodiegwu at that residence concluded that he matched the description of the attacker seen in multiple videos, tightening the evidentiary net around him. Ogbodiegwu allegedly gave conflicting statements to police and even claimed to have a twin brother, but when pressed, he could not provide a name for this supposed sibling, further undermining his credibility.
A subsequent search of the residence uncovered what appears to be damning physical evidence, including a trash bag in an outdoor bin containing clothing, shoes, and a knife. The clothing matched the description of the suspects attire in the video, and the sweatpants bore red stains, while the knife tested positive for blood, according to the affidavit, suggesting a direct link between the items and the crime. The Williamson County Sheriffs Office has not yet released a motive, but investigators reportedly believe the killing was likely a random attack, a chilling prospect that raises serious questions about how many other law-abiding citizens may be at risk from similarly free to roam predators.
For conservatives who have long warned that soft-on-crime policies and ideological experiments in policing would have real human costs, the death of a man like Andrew Wimsatt is a painful confirmation of those fears. His life, marked by professional excellence, devotion to his mother, support for free speech, and quiet acts of kindness toward people he admired from afar, stands as a rebuke to a culture that too often excuses or minimizes violence while neglecting its duty to protect the innocent.
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