The trial for a Kaufman County man accused of capital murder is underway Monday. 

Kaufman County man accused of murder

Trevor McEuen, 33, allegedly shot and killed his neighbor, Aaron Martinez, in 2023.

Hours before his trial was first set to begin, on May 5, he allegedly removed his court-ordered ankle monitor and fled his home. At that time, Gov. Greg Abbott placed McEuen on Texas's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List.

He was apprehended about a month later at his grandmother's house, covered in mud and without shoes. McEuen's attorney, Abigail Spain, said he was hiding there, reportedly concealing himself under the home.

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.

Jury selection was also held on Monday. Eight women, four men and two male alternates were selected.

Early surprises as McEuen trial gets underway

There were early surprises as the trial began Monday afternoon. 

The district attorney chose to skip an opening statement and went straight to witness testimony.

The first witness was Aaron Martinez's wife. She broke down as she identified her husband's body.

The second witness, a forney police investigator, showed the jury video of McEuen's interview, in which he admitted to shooting Martinez and taking his phone.

Victim's family demands justice

At a press conference in May, 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.

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 called for change of venue

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.