Austin murder suspect gets out of jail on bail 4 days after being arrested for fatal stabbing in 2021

According to the police, the informant’s statements matched.

Through an additional search warrant, officers learned that Antoine had been Googling news articles related to stabbings in Austin just days after Martinez's murder.

Police caught him in Temple, arrested him and took him to the Bell County Jail on Thursday of last week.

A judge set his bail at $150,000. He was released from jail on bail four days later.

“At the end of the day, he's innocent until proven guilty, no matter what the affidavit says. The defense attorney in me says he's entitled to his day in court, innocent until proven guilty,” said Gene Anthes, managing partner of the GBA Firm. “The ex-prosecutor in me says, look, our job here is to protect the public and make sure this guy shows up in court again.”

FOX 7 has called the clerk's, prosecutor's and sheriff's offices in Bell and Travis County several times this week.

Bell County officials said they were unable to locate the suspect's records and then learned he had been released without extradition.

A source told FOX 7 that authorities should have communicated better and extradited Antoine to Travis County.

“I've seen police officers pick up the phone and call the district attorney's office and say, 'I just arrested 'Gene Anthes' and he's on probation in your county for A, B and C. You need to file a motion to vacate as soon as possible so a new warrant can be issued for his arrest,'” Anthes said.

In the two years before Martinez's murder, Antoine had been arrested for unauthorized use of a vehicle and burglary, according to court documents.

He was released from prison on bail for the latter charge two months before the murder.

“He still has a lot of problems,” Anthes said. “I'm a little surprised the judge in Bell County or anyone in Bell County didn't freak out when they found out he was on probation in Bell County.”

Because he was out on parole, Bell County was able to revoke his parole and file additional warrants against him, sending him back to prison.

A grand jury in Travis County has yet to indict him in Martinez's murder.