Capital murder suspect still on-the-run as Gov. Greg Abbott hosts talks on bail reform
Capital murder suspect on-the-run prompts bail reform
Family members of the man allegedly killed by a, now on-the-run, murder suspect are questioning why he was on house arrest ahead of his murder trial. Now it’s unclear where this fugitive is hiding or who might be helping him.
Family members of the man allegedly killed by a now on-the-run murder suspect are questioning why he was on house arrest ahead of his murder trial. Now it’s unclear where this fugitive is hiding or who might be helping him.
Family and friends of Aaron Martinez are expressing how they feel while the 35-year-old’s alleged killer, Trevor McEuen, is on-the-run.
A family friend of the Martinex family, Adriana Alvarez, spoke of the family's concern as authorities are still searching for McEuen.
"We really need him caught. Everybody is scared. The family is scared." said Alvarez. "You know they are scared. They have children."
What they're saying:
On Monday, however, the Kaufman County Sheriff, Bryan Beavers, expressed frustrations.
"I mean, he’s already proven to us that he’ll violate the conditions of his bond, but they still allowed him to have a bond and law enforcement gets frustrated over stuff like this. We’ve spent a lot of time and effort on this individual."
Last September, McEuen posted a $2,250,000 bond but was arrested a week later for violating that bond.
Allegedly posting social media threats three months later.
In December, McEuen posted another $2,000,000 bond.
McEuen’s bonds are higher than most, according to one former prosecutor who spoke with FOX 4.
But the governor is hoping the state legislature can make it even tougher for certain people to bond out.
Dig deeper:
Governor Greg Abbott held a roundtable discussion centered around bail reform on Wednesday. Abbott wants lawmakers to amend the Texas constitution, requiring approval of two-thirds of state house and senate members to, in part, restrict bail for those accused of certain violent crimes.
"This is a public safety issue, plain and simple," said Abbott. "Judges must automatically deny bail for violent crimes like murder, rape and human trafficking, unless there’s clear and convincing evidence that the defendant will appear in court and not endanger the community."
The backstory:
In 2023, McEuen allegedly shot-and-killed Martinez, his neighbor, during an ongoing dispute.
On Monday morning, McEuen reportedly cut his ankle monitor and fled, hours before jury selection in his capital murder trial.
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North Texas capital murder suspect's disappearance raises questions about bond
Capital murder suspect Trevor McEuen, 32, was scheduled for trial Monday morning, but instead cut off his ankle monitor and disappeared in Van Zandt County.
Federal, state, and local authorities continue searching, but authorities have not provided public updates on the search.
What's next:
Now that McEuen appears to have escaped, loved ones of Martinez wonder where he is or what he might do next.
FOX 4 has reached out several times this week to the Kaufman County District Attorney’s Office for comment but has not received a response.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from interviews with former Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Russell Wilson and Kaufman County Sheriff Bryan Beavers. Background story information was gathered from the Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office.