Jury to Resume Murder Trial in July After Appeals Court Ruling in Case of Slain Fort Cavazos Soldier

Jury to Resume Murder Trial in July After Appeals Court Ruling in Case of Slain Fort Cavazos Soldier

KILLEEN, Texas — A Bell County jury selected in February to decide the fate of a former Fort Cavazos soldier accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend will return to court this summer after the trial was paused for months due to an appeals court ruling.

The case centers on 28-year-old Nakealon Keunte Mosley, a former Army corporal, who is charged with the murder of 24-year-old Sgt. Francine Martinez. Martinez was shot in the head during an altercation near the Hangover Bar & Grill on West Elms Road on Sept. 4, 2021, and died nearly two weeks later at a hospital in Temple.

Mosley was indicted in November 2021 on a first-degree felony charge of murder, as well as a Class A misdemeanor for discharging a firearm within city limits. He has remained in custody at the Bell County Jail on bonds totaling $505,000.

The jury, comprised of eight men and six women, including two alternates, heard five days of testimony beginning Feb. 3, 2025, with the defense resting on Feb. 7. However, before closing arguments could be delivered on Feb. 10, Judge Wade Faulkner abruptly halted proceedings, citing a legal issue that required resolution by the 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin.

At issue was a motion for a directed verdict filed by Mosley’s defense attorney, Zachary Boyd, who argued that there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mosley was the shooter. While Mosley was seen entering the passenger side of the suspect vehicle, witnesses said another known male was in the same car, raising questions about who actually fired the fatal shot.

Judge Faulkner initially granted the motion, dismissing the case. However, the state appealed, and on April 25, the appeals court reversed Faulkner’s ruling. The justices ruled that the trial must continue, with jurors instructed on the “law of parties,” which holds individuals criminally responsible for actions committed by others under certain conditions.

The court cited multiple pieces of evidence, including surveillance footage, and recorded jailhouse calls in which Mosley referred to the other individual as the driver and shooter, as justification for reinstating the trial.

Following the appellate court’s decision, Boyd filed a motion for rehearing on May 2, which was denied a week later. The case has since been placed back on the trial docket, and jury proceedings are set to resume on July 21.

The community and loved ones of Sgt. Francine Martinez, a respected soldier stationed at Fort Cavazos, continue to seek justice nearly four years after her death. The resumption of the trial marks a critical next step in determining accountability for the tragic loss of her life.