A Kaufman County man accused of capital murder is back in custody after a nearly month-long manhunt.

Trevor McEuen, 33, was apprehended early Monday at a residence in Van Zandt County, where authorities said he was hiding since May 5 — the day his capital murder trial was set to begin.

McEuen, who was on Texas' 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, had removed his court-ordered ankle monitor and fled his home just hours before jury selection was scheduled to begin in the 2023 shooting death of Aaron Martinez.

The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office posted a photo of McEuen on social media showing him barefoot and covered in what appeared to be mud in the back of a police vehicle.

McEuen caught at grandmother's home

According to KCSO, McEuen was captured without incident during a coordinated search warrant operation involving multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

"This arrest is the result of relentless and coordinated efforts by law enforcement personnel who worked around the clock to ensure that this dangerous individual was brought back into custody," said Kaufman County Sheriff Bryan Beavers. "The safety of our community was at stake, and we are proud of the partnership and professionalism displayed by every agency involved."

McEuen's attorney, Abigail Spain, said tear gas was used during the arrest.

"I did talk to him briefly this morning," Spain said. "He's a little shaken up." 

Spain said McEuen had been hiding at his grandmother's house and was reportedly concealing himself under the home.

"From what I'm hearing, he was hiding under the house and was hiding from her as well," she said.

Authorities said McEuen's location was determined through surveillance and inter-agency intelligence sharing. He now faces additional charges, including five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, arson, felony bail jumping and failure to appear.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a $30,000 reward for information leading to McEuen's arrest and added him to the state's most wanted list. Bounty hunters also joined the search. However, Texas DPS said the reward will not be paid.

Victim's family demands no bond

At a press conference Monday, the family of Aaron Martinez expressed relief over McEuen's capture and urged the court not to grant him bond again.

"I am happy," said Salvador Martinez, Aaron's father. "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 family maintains that Aaron's killing was racially motivated and is calling for the case to be treated as a hate crime.

Carlos Quintanilla, a family representative, said, "We hope he gets zero bond. We hope the trial is expeditious and that a jury finds him guilty."

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.

McEuen's attorney said the defense may seek a change of venue due to the high-profile nature of the case in Kaufman County.

"We'll probably be filing for a change of venue just because this has been such a hot-button topic in Kaufman County," Spain said. "We just want to make sure that our client gets an unbiased jury."

KCSO said it remains committed to pursuing justice for the Martinez family and is also investigating whether anyone knowingly assisted McEuen while he was a fugitive.

Martinez's family has also called on officials to consider moving the case to another jurisdiction if Kaufman County lacks the resources to prosecute it effectively.

McEuen's next court date is scheduled for Aug. 4.

• Kaufman County
• Crime