Stewart Trese, a 23-year-old senior at Texas Christian University (TCU), was tragically killed on February 4, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Trese, a marketing major, was found dead in his apartment at the GrandMarc Apartments near TCU. The investigation revealed that Trese had been stabbed to death, with a wound to the neck being one of the fatal injuries.
The perpetrator, David Hidalgo, also 23 at the time, was a friend of Trese, and the two had previously volunteered together at a local charity. Hidalgo was turned in to the authorities by his mother on the same day as the murder, after he confessed to her about the crime. Hidalgo later pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. He initially tried to claim self-defense, referencing what is known as the "gay panic" defense, but eventually dropped these claims in court. Prosecutors described the killing as cold-blooded, and Hidalgo is eligible for parole in 17.5 years, which would be around 2031.
Trese's death shocked the TCU community. He was remembered by friends and family as a brilliant, funny, and honest individual. He had been looking forward to graduating in May of 2014. The TCU community held a memorial for him, and his death has remained a somber reminder of the tragedy that struck the campus that year. The homicide had a significant impact on TCU students, prompting increased campus safety measures and a sense of solidarity among the community to remember one of their own.
