Text messages obtained by TMZ showed that Austin Tucker Martin, the armed man fatally shot by authorities while attempting to enter a secure perimeter at President Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago resort in West Palm Beach, Florida, was a vocal supporter of Trump who had grown increasingly obsessed with the Jeffrey Epstein files prior to his death.
Martin, 21, of Cameron, North Carolina, sent a text message to a co-worker on February 15, 2026, which stated, “I don’t know if you read up on the Epstein Files, but evil is real and unmistakable.”
“The best people like you and I can do is use what little influence we have. Tell other people about what you hear about the Epstein files and what the government is doing about it. Raise awareness,” he added.
Martin, who worked at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in North Carolina, reportedly became fixated on the Epstein scandal following the latest release of a tranche of files connected with the late convicted pedophile, according to colleagues. The sources said he was deeply disturbed by what he thought was a government cover-up and had often discussed people in power “getting away with it.”
Martin was also reported to be outspoken about his Christian faith and conservative political views, having regularly expressed support for Trump, which included telling his colleagues that he believed the president was a strong leader as recently as the end of 2025. Sources with knowledge of the situation described Martin as being well-meaning but increasingly frustrated about politics, specifically the U.S. economy, having often complained about young people needing two jobs or roommates as he reportedly still lived with his parents and unsuccessfully attempted to start a union at work to push for higher wages.
Martin was reported missing by his family on Saturday (February 21), hours before the incident that resulted in his death in the early hours of Sunday (February 22) morning. Secret Service chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi previously said a man in his early 20s was killed after “unlawfully entering the secure perimeter” of the resort at around 1:30 a.m. local time during a the joint news briefing, which included officials with the Secret Service, FBI and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Trump is currently in Washington, D.C., as he hosted the Governors Dinner over the weekend. Martin was reportedly shot after failing to drop a shotgun and gas can he has with him as he entered the perimeter of the resort, having gained access through the gates as another vehicle was leaving.
Trump hasn’t yet issued a public response to the incident, however, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the Secret Service’s response to the incident.
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