A Texas man who fled on the first day of his murder trial and was arrested a month later has been sentenced for killing his neighbor.
Trevor McEuen, 33, was sentenced to life in prison on October 23 after being convicted 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 weapon in an “act of hatred,” but McEuen, who testified in his own defense, claimed he shot his neighbor out of fear, Fox 4 reported. According to authorities, the two had previously been involved in incidents.
“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.
According to CBS News, Martinez’s family had requested that authorities charge McEuen with a hate crime, stating that there had been ongoing issues with McEuen since Martinez came to the region years ago.
“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 he had threatened them with a gun and fired rounds near them, according to NBC 5. Prosecutors also told the jury that McEuen stole Martinez’s phone to prevent him from phoning for help, according to the site.
The trial was due to begin on May 5, but it was postponed when McEuen failed to appear in court after removing his ankle monitor, according to PEOPLE, citing authorities. He was thought to be armed and dangerous.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, McEuen was apprehended on June 2 in Grand Saline, Texas, after a SWAT standoff. According to Fox 4 and NBC 5, McEuen was discovered hiding under the floor of his grandparents’ house.
The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office stated on social media that they hope the verdict provides the Martinez family “some measure of peace.”
The victim’s father stated after the sentence hearing, “Right now, the main thing is this guy; he stays forever [behind bars], and he does no more damage to anybody,” according to NBC 5.