A federal hearing is underway, accusing federal agents of destroying crucial evidence in the Miramar Martinez shooting case. The court filing claims agents are controlling the narrative, interfering with evidence.

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent accused of shooting Martinez took the stand on Wednesday, with the focus on a key piece of evidence — the SUV involved in that shooting.

The defense for Martinez, 30, requested the hearing — claiming the government mishandled evidence.

Charles Exum, a 20-year border patrol veteran from Maine, took the stand. He was deployed to Chicago as part of the so-called "Operation Midway Blitz."

Court documents show the silver Tahoe Exum drove, the same vehicle from the shooting, was repaired just days after the incident. The government claimed Martinez intentionally rammed the SUV. She was charged with impeding, intimidating, and interfering with a border patrol operation, but she insists agents hit her. Martinez was shot five times during the incident.

The SUV was repaired and driven back to Maine, and attorneys said that it destroyed crucial physical evidence.

In court, defense attorneys shared texts Exum sent after the shooting — including messages on the encrypted app, Signal. In one message, He sent his brother a link to a news article, writing: "sweet. My 15 mins of fame. lmao."

Exum, on the stand, testified he didn't order the repairs and believed he was clear to drive it back to Maine after the FBI released it.

The judge will need to decide whether federal agents acted in bad faith and whether Martinez's case will be hurt by the loss of evidence.

Both Martinez and Anthony Ruiz, who was also arrested that day, were in court.

No video of what led up to the shooting was released, and it was learned that Exum wasn't wearing a body camera at the time of the incident.

The hearing continues on Thursday and is expected to last for seven days.