Trevor McEuen Takes Stand in Kaufman County Capital Murder Trial

The capital murder trial of Trevor McEuen began in Kaufman County over the May 1, 2023, fatal shooting of neighbor Aaron Martinez, with McEuen facing charges including capital murder, multiple counts of aggravated assault, arson and related offenses. Prosecutors say McEuen opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle after a crash near Martinez’s property; jurors were shown graphic images, an autopsy finding 32 gunshot wounds (many to the back of the head), and a bystander who said he saw a pickup driver retrieve a rifle and “unloaded on him.” McEuen has testified in his defense, claiming self-defense, showed two 2022 videos he recorded (one of Martinez’s property and a horse video with a gunshot), and said he often heard gunfire at the Martinez ranch but did not report it; prosecutors questioned why he was carrying firearms that day. Evidence shown also included police video of a two-hour standoff in which McEuen refused to disarm, a search of his truck that turned up multiple loaded firearms and allegations he took some of the victim’s guns after the shooting. McEuen fled before his initial trial date by cutting off an ankle monitor, prompting a nearly month-long manhunt and his later capture hiding beneath his grandmother’s house; jury selection and testimony have proceeded without cameras in the courtroom as the defense and prosecution present competing narratives.