Latest news with #AaronMartinez
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Cops make horrifying discovery inside creepy secret trap door underneath grandmother's house
Authorities made a chilling discovery beneath a grandmother's home in Texas, uncovering a hidden trapdoor that led to the capture of a fugitive wanted for capital murder. Trevor McEuen, 33, had been on the run since May 5, when he removed his court-ordered ankle monitor and failed to appear for his trial in the 2023 shooting death of his neighbor, Aaron Martinez. In the wake of his disappearance, McEuen was added to Texas' 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, with a $30,000 reward offered for information leading to his arrest. After weeks of searching, authorities received a tip that led them to a residence about 65 mils east of Dallas in Van Zandt County - McEuen's grandmother's house. More than 30 officers from local, state, and federal agencies, coordinated by the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office, converged on the property on Sunday evening around 11 pm. 'We got our team together to execute. It took us a little longer than what we wanted. He didn't want to come out,' Kaufman County Sheriff Bryan Beavers told Fox4. 'So we talked and talked, surrounded and talked, then finally used a little tear gas. And we couldn't find him. Then we went boots on the ground inside the house.' After hours of searching the Grand Saline home, officers discovered a hidden trapdoor beneath the floorboards. When they opened it, they found McEuen barefoot and covered in mud, hiding in a crawl space. Still, McEuen resisted arrest, refusing to leave the makeshift hideout, forcing authorities to take further action. 'We found a scuttle hole that he'd cut into the floor,' Beavers said. 'Then we got a little negotiating with him, a little more tear gas, and he decided to come out.' McEuen now faces multiple charges, including capital murder, four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and arson. He is accused of fatally shooting 35-year-old Aaron Martinez in Forney, Texas, in May 2023 - allegedly firing between 15 and 30 shots execution-style into Martinez's head. 'This person has done some very heinous things and needs to be put in jail,' Beavers said. 'And the Martinez family needs justice finally. We've got him in custody. I think he's gonna get to see justice.' The discovery of the hidden trapdoor and McEuen's capture brought a wave of relief to the Martinez family and the surrounding community. 'I am happy,' Salvador Martinez, the victim's father, said in an interview with CBS News. 'This time, the sheriff, the city of Kaufman did their job. Don't let him out again. He's not supposed to get another chance at bond.' The Martinez family had previously raised concerns about McEuen's potential to flee, citing a history of bond violations and alleged threats against the victim. 'We hope he gets zero bond. We hope the trial is expeditious and that a jury finds him guilty,' Carlos Quintanilla, a family representative, said. McEuen was originally arrested in May 2023, released on bond, and later indicted for capital murder in November of that year. In September 2024, he was released on a $1 million bond. He reportedly violated his bond conditions by posting photos of Martinez and his relatives on Instagram. Given the publicity surrounding the case, McEuen's defense attorney has since signaled a possible move to request a change of venue. 'We'll probably be filing for a change of venue just because this has been such a hot-button topic in Kaufman County,' McEuen's attorney, Abigail Spain, said. 'We just want to make sure that our client gets an unbiased jury.' The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office has stated it remains committed to securing justice for the Martinez family and is currently investigating whether McEuen received assistance during his time as a fugitive. In light of the ongoing legal challenges, the Martinez family has also urged officials to consider transferring the case to another jurisdiction if Kaufman County is unable to prosecute it effectively.
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Kaufman County Sheriff reveals details of around-the-clock manhunt for Trevor McEuen
How did accused murderer Trevor McEuen manage to evade law enforcement for nearly one month? CBS News Texas sat down with Kaufman County Sheriff Bryan Beavers on Tuesday to ask him about the arrest of McEuen and the manhunt. "We had checked every residence, everything that's in and around that area," Beavers said. "We have talked to them. Grandma somewhat worked with us, but she's told different stories." Authorities search for North Texas murder suspect who removed ankle monitor On May 5, McEuen cut off his ankle monitor before his jury trial was set to start. He was out on bond, accused of capital murder in the death of Aaron Martinez, who was shot and killed in May of 2023. Reporter Marissa Armas: A lot of people feel this response took too long, that the sheriff's office and other agencies didn't do their job? Kaufman County Sheriff's Office Beavers: I say, they don't know what we're doing behind the scenes. We had people working 24/7 around the clock with all these other agencies to try to do everything we can. McEuen caught at grandmother's home McEuen was found Monday hiding underneath his grandmother's home, east of Dallas. Beavers said they had previously checked the property. He said later they received intel that McEuen was still at the residence, so they got a warrant to search the home. "So, then we put a team on the ground inside, and that's when we found a hole in the closet that he had cut and got underneath the house," said Beavers. Kaufman County Sheriff's Office Armas: Do you think grandma knew? Beavers: In my opinion, I believe she knew 100%. Beaver said they're investigating to see who knew about his whereabouts and whether his family helped him. "We're still early in that investigation, and if we find out any of them are involved, we're going to file charges," Beavers said. "When you're trying to conceal somebody, you can do that pretty good, because you know we're coming. He didn't know what was coming that night, that's when we got the surprise on him." Beavers said they're trying to figure out what McEuen was doing in the days leading up to his arrest. He added that McEuen isn't cooperating with law enforcement. McEuen is being held without bond. His court date is set for August 4.
Fox News
02-06-2025
- General
- Fox News
Texas murder suspect Trevor McEuen caught after weeks on the run
A Texas capital murder suspect who was out on bond and failed to appear in court was captured Monday after a weeks-long manhunt for the fugitive. "Early this morning, fugitive Trevor McEuen was taken into custody," Kaufman County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook Monday, sharing a photo of a muddied and barefoot McEuen handcuffed in the backseat of a law enforcement vehicle. McEuen had been on the run since early May, when he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor and fled the day his trial was scheduled to start in connection with the 2023 shooting of his neighbor, rancher and horse trainer Aaron Martinez. McEuen allegedly admitted to shooting and killing 35-year-old Martinez as the rancher sat in his truck outside his home. McEuen was held on $2 million bond. A judge declined to reduce that bond amount last May, and McEuen ultimately posted bond and was released in September with an ankle monitor, FOX 4 reported. He was taken back into custody after allegedly violating the terms of his release, but McEuen posted $2 million bond again in December and was released a second time. He is facing charges of capital murder by terror threat, murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The Texas Department of Public Safety issued an additional warrant against McEuen on May 6 for arson of a habitation, according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram. When he cut off his ankle monitor, McEuen allegedly set fire to the home where he was staying in Van Zandt County before officers arrived. Gov. Greg Abbott has since cited the case when pushing for bail reform, including a state constitutional amendment that would require Texas judges to automatically deny bail for violent crimes, including murder. On May 15, Abbott said the award for information leading to McEuen's capture increased to $30,000, as he urged Texans to submit an anonymous tip to "help law enforcement apprehend this heinous criminal." The Republican governor said McEuen "is exactly why Texas must fix its broken and deadly bail system." The sheriff's office promised additional details about the circumstances of the arrest would be released later Monday morning.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Party's over: El Paso's Memorial Day holiday ends with dozens of DWI arrests
El Paso law enforcement arrested 42 people suspected of drunken driving over the Memorial Day weekend, authorities said. El Paso Police Department officers, El Paso County Sheriff's Office deputies, El Paso Constables and Texas Department of Public Safety state troopers stepped up patrols looking for drunken drivers over the holiday weekend. Law enforcement officers arrested 38 people on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and four minors for driving under the influence between Friday, May 23, to Monday, May 26, authorities said. The arrests came after El Paso city officials and law enforcement held a news conference Tuesday, May 13, announcing the increased patrols targeting drunken drivers. El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said "enough is enough," when he announced the crack down. Here is a breakdown of the arrests: 12 driving while intoxicated arrests 1 minor driving under the influence arrest 1 minor in possession of alcohol arrest 4 possession of a controlled substance/marijuana arrests 9 outstanding warrant arrests 72 traffic citations issued 10 driving while intoxicated arrests 1 minor driving under the influence arrest 6 outstanding warrant arrests 70 traffic citations issued 8 driving while intoxicated arrests 1 possession of a controlled substance/marijuana arrest 1 criminal mischief arrest 4 outstanding warrant arrests 21 traffic citations issued 8 driving while intoxicated arrests 2 minor driving under the influence arrests 4 possession of a controlled substance/marijuana arrests 30 traffic citations issued Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@ or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso's Memorial Day holiday ends with 42 drunken driving arrests
CBS News
15-05-2025
- CBS News
Reward totals $30K for fugitive North Texas murder suspect Trevor McEuen, Gov. Abbott says
Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday announced a $30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Trevor McEuen, a capital murder suspect who skipped a May 5 court appearance, removed his ankle monitor, and fled his Van Zandt County home. Before fleeing, McEuen, 32, was scheduled to stand trial for the 2023 killing of Aaron Martinez, a 35-year-old man who had moved to Forney, in Kaufman County, to start a horse training ranch. Trevor McEuen Kaufman County North Texas fugitive added to list According to Abbott, McEuen has been added to the Texas Department of Public Safety's 10 Most Wanted Fugitive List. Authorities warn that McEuen is armed and dangerous and urge Texans not to attempt to apprehend him. The $30,000 reward, which Abbott announced, includes $10,000 from the Governor's Public Safety Office; $10,000 from Kaufman County Crime Stoppers, and $10,000 from the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office. McEuen threatened victim, family says Martinez's family told CBS News Texas that McEuen had previously threatened Martinez, fired at his property, and made racially charged remarks. Despite early warnings and police reports, Martinez did not pursue charges at the time. McEuen was initially arrested in May 2023, released on bond, and later indicted for capital murder in November 2023. After being released on a $1 million bond in September 2024, McEuen allegedly violated bond conditions by posting photos of Martinez and his relatives on Instagram. Manhunt intensifies for fugitive Last week, the manhunt for McEuen intensified with bounty hunters joining the search. Bail bond companies are under pressure, as they could be liable for over $2 million if McEuen isn't found within 10 months. CBS News Texas will provide updates as they become available.
