Gov. Greg Abbott announced a statewide effort to find Trevor McEuen, a capital murder suspect who vanished earlier this month after cutting off his ankle monitor.
McEuen, who failed to appear for his May 5 court date, is now listed as one of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Fugitives. In response, Texas is offering up to $30,000 in rewards for information leading to his arrest.
McEuen was out on bond while awaiting trial for the 2023 shooting death of 35-year-old Aaron Martinez, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. He faces charges of capital murder and four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
McEuen is accused of fatally shooting his neighbor on May 1, 2023. Martinez was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds inside his pickup truck on Neal Road. According to investigators, deputies who arrived at the scene saw McEuen leaving the area in a vehicle and started to pursue the man. The chase ended nearby, where McEuen was taken into custody after a standoff involving a SWAT team. Police say he later confessed to the shooting.
The governor reiterated his push for bail reform in the ongoing legislative session, saying that the McEuen case is just another reminder of the dangerous loopholes within the current system.
“Trevor McEuen is exactly why Texas must fix its broken and deadly bail system,” Abbott said in a statement published this week.
In addition to the $10,000 offered by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office and the county’s crime stopper agency have both pledged an additional $10,000. The combined $30,000 reward just shows the urgency Texas officials have to capture McEuen, who is considered armed and dangerous.
Tips can be submitted anonymously through the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477) or online via the Texas Department of Public Safety’s website. Tipsters are guaranteed anonymity.
Authorities have now cautioned the public not to approach McEuen under any circumstances. As the manhunt intensifies, Abbott is now pointing to McEuen’s disappearance as a flashpoint in the debate over pretrial releases and bail policies for violent offenders.
“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,” the governor added.
The Texas legislature is expected to revisit bail policy proposals in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, McEuen remains at large.