On April 8, 2023, Killeen police found 18-year-old VaQuintin Carmon Maestre suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers attempted life-saving measures but Maestre was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:13 a.m. The department treated the death as the city’s first murder of the year and opened an investigation.

The victim’s name was initially withheld. Detectives identified him as VaQuintin Carmon Maestre of Killeen and on April 10 announced the arrest of a murder suspect. A second arrest followed on May 4, 2023, indicating investigators believed multiple people may have been involved. Maestre’s obituary described his passing as unexpected, and his name was added to the National Gun Violence Memorial.

Anyone who knew Maestre or has information about the shooting is asked to come forward.