North Texas murder suspect Trevor McEuen, who prompted a manhunt in Van Zandt County last month, was arrested by the Kaufman County Sheriff’s office, officials said.
KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — A North Texas murder suspect who prompted a manhunt after he skipped a court date last month has been found and arrested, officials said.
Trevor McEuen was taken into custody early Monday morning, according to the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said they will release more details on what led to the arrest Monday morning.
Officials said McEuen removed his ankle monitor and failed to appear for a court date May 5 for a murder charge in Kaufman County, sparking a manhunt in the area of U.S. 80, east of Grand Saline in Van Zandt County. After a search, Van Zandt County deputies said later that day that he was no longer believed to be in the area.
A warrant was issued for McEuen for bail revocation for capital murder, and he was added to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitive list, according to state officials.
McEuen is accused of shooting and killing 35-year-old father Aaron Martinez in his pickup truck in Kaufman County in 2023, leaving it riddled with bullets. Martinez’s family told WFAA in 2023 that they believed McEuen should be charged with a hate crime in connection with the shooting.
Rewards for information on the whereabouts of McEuen totaled $30,000, officials previously announced.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced last month that the Office of the Governor’s Public Safety Office would offer a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to McEuen’s arrest. Kaufman County Crime Stoppers also offered a reward of up to $10,000, and the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office offered a reward of up to $10,000.
“Trevor McEuen is exactly why Texas must fix its broken and deadly bail system,” said Abbott. “A violent criminal like McEuen charged with capital murder should never be released on our streets. That’s why I made bail reform an emergency item that must pass this legislative session. I urge all Texans with information on McEuen to call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline or submit an anonymous tip online to help law enforcement apprehend this heinous criminal. Working together, we will bring fugitives like Trevor McEuen to justice.”
Martinez’s mother, Rosa Mejía Calderón, and his father, Salvador Martinez, previously told WFAA they were unhappy with how the case was handled.
“One of the things is that we had always made it clear that we didn’t want him to be free — because we knew how dangerous he is,” Salvador Martinez previously said. “He had already shot at our feet several times, and absolutely nothing was done until he committed the crime against my son.”
