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Jury hears 911 call, shown surveillance video and crime scene photos on first day of Sasha Skare trial

Skare is accused of fatally shooting a San Antonio rapper related to Beyoncé in January 2021

SAN ANTONIO – Jurors in the Sasha Skare trial heard a 911 call in court on Tuesday — but a witness testified the caller was not who she claimed to be.

The recording is one of several key pieces of evidence prosecutors presented on the first day of Skare’s trial.

She’s accused of fatally shooting Martell Derouen, a San Antonio rapper related to Beyoncé, in January 2021.

The woman on the 911 call said she was locked out of her apartment and believed her husband was hurt.

“Do you hear him?” asked the 911 operator.

“No, he’s not responding there’s a hole in the door,” answered the woman.

The woman identified herself as Joai Derouen, Martell’s wife. But Joai Derouen said in court Tuesday that it wasn’t her voice on the call — it was Skare’s.

“She pronounced my name wrong,” said Derouen.

The Derouens were separated for a few years, but according to Joia’s testimony, they were on good terms.

She testified that she learned Skare and her husband were involved after his death.

On Jan. 26, 2021, San Antonio police officers responded to Martell Derouen’s apartment for a welfare call, where they found him dead inside his apartment in the 16700 block of La Cantera Parkway.

Investigators believe he got into an argument with Skare, who shot Martell Derouen through the front door of the apartment four days earlier.

“He fell backwards as he was looking through the peephole,” said Det. Daniel Molina with the San Antonio Police Department.

Skare was arrested one week after San Antonio police say she shot and killed Martell Derouen.

Jurors also heard from the victim’s neighbors. One neighbor’s surveillance camera caught a woman walking down the hallway barefoot.

Joai Derouen was brought back into the courtroom, where she watched the video and identified the barefoot woman as Skare.

Prosecutors also showed jurors graphic photos inside the crime scene.

The crime scene investigator described seeing broken plates on the floor and counter of the kitchen and what appeared to be a broken bed.

Skare was offered a plea deal but turned it down on August 25.

If the jury finds Skare guilty, she faces up to life in prison.

The defense did not make opening statements on the first day of the trial. Testimony continues Wednesday morning and KSAT will stream it live.


About the Authors
Daniela Ibarra headshot

Daniela Ibarra joined the KSAT News team in July 2023. This isn’t her first time in the KSAT newsroom– the San Antonio native spent the summer of 2017 as an intern. Daniela is a proud Mean Green alum, earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Texas.

Erica Hernandez headshot

Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.

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