Texas Fugitive Who Fled on Day of Murder Trial Sentenced to Life in Prison By Nicole Acosta

A Texas man who fled on the first day of his scheduled murder trial and was captured a month later has been sentenced for killing his neighbor.

Trevor McEuen, 33, was sentenced to life in prison on Oct. 23 after being found guilty of capital murder in the May 2023 shooting death of 35-year-old Aaron Martinez, in rural Kaufman County, according to reports from NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, KLTV and Fox 4.

Prosecutors said in court that McEuen shot Martinez more than 30 times with a semi-automatic rifle in what they described as an “act of hatred,” while McEuen, who testified in his own defense, claimed he shot his neighbor because he was scared, Fox 4 reported. Authorities reportedly said there were prior incidents between the two.

“He used deadly force because he thought it was going to be used against him,” defense attorney Abigail Spain said in court, per NBC 5.

Martinez’s family had asked prosecutors to charge McEuen with a hate crime, claiming that there had been ongoing issues with McEuen since Martinez moved to the area years ago, CBS News previously reported.

“He started to follow us … [saying] ‘We don’t want you Spanish people in the area,'” the victim’s father, Salvador Martinez, recalled to the outlet.

During the trial, McEuen’s ex-girlfriend and a landscaper testified that McEuen had previously threatened them with a gun and fired shots near them, NBC 5 reported. Also, prosecutors told the jury that McEuen robbed Martinez of his phone to prevent him from calling for help, per the outlet.

The trial was initially scheduled to start on May 5 but it was delayed when McEuen did not show up to court after removing his ankle monitor, PEOPLE previously reported, citing authorities. He was believed to be armed and dangerous.

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According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, McEuen was captured on June 2 near Grand Saline, Texas, following a SWAT standoff. Fox 4 and NBC 5 reported that McEuen was found hiding under the floor of his grandparents’ house.

The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post that they hope the verdict brings the Martinez family “some measure of peace.”

After the sentencing hearing, the victim’s father said, “Right now, the main thing is this guy, he stays forever [behind bars], that he makes no more damage to nobody,” NBC 5 reported.