Pharr police have arrested two brothers in connection with their stepfather’s brutal beating death, who is accused of sexually abusing his 9-year-old daughter.
Alexandro and Christian Trevino, brothers, and Juan Eduardo Melendez, all 18, are accused of murdering 42-year-old Gabriel Quintanilla on Thursday.
According to police, Quintanilla had a warrant for continuous sexual abuse of a child.
Quintanilla’s body was discovered by a farmer, who called McAllen police, who responded to an area south of McAllen at 2:41 p.m. Thursday.
According to McAllen Police Department Lt. Joel Morales, the investigation has been turned over to the Pharr Police Department.
According to a news release from Pharr police, the child made an outcry at an RV park in the 1200 block of East Moore in Pharr. The child was later identified as Quintanilla’s 9-year-old daughter by police.
“When brothers Alexandro and Christian Trevino discovered the truth, they became enraged and confronted Gabriel Quintanilla at his home.” “A physical altercation ensued between the three, and the victim Quintanilla fled the scene on foot,” police said.
Alexandro faces aggravated assault and engaging in organized criminal activity, while Christian and Melendez face capital murder, aggravated assault, and engaging in organized criminal activity.
Melendez is also facing a charge of marijuana possession.
According to Deputy Chief Juan Gonzalez, Alexandro is not charged with capital murder because his brother and Melendez are accused of delivering the fatal blows.
Alexandro and Christian’s stepfather is Quintanilla. Both brothers are half-siblings to the child and have different mothers.
According to police, Christian pursued Quintanilla and discovered him outside an apartment complex down the road by Lyndon and Coyote.
“A second assault occurs there when Alexandro Trevino and Juan Eduardo Melendez, the driver of a red Dodge Charger, catch up and join the assault against the victim,” police said.
The trio then leaves the scene, switches vehicles, and returns in a white Ford F-150 to find Quintanilla alone and injured walking along Veteran’s Road, according to the report.
“There is a third assault, and the victim is severely beaten.” “The victim, who is still alive, is placed in the bed of the truck, and the truck drives away, ending up in the McColl and Whalen Road (area), where the victim is dropped off in an open field, and the suspects flee,” police say.
Quintanilla was beaten with brass knuckles and suffered severe head trauma before being dropped off where the farmer found him, according to investigators. Quintanilla was still alive when he was transported to the location.
At the arraignment, two unidentified women were escorted in by a large number of officers, four of whom surrounded the women during the legal procedure.
While Christian and Melendez faced the judge, Alexandro kept his head down for the majority of the arraignment.
Police Chief Andy Harvey applauded the arrests made by the department’s detectives.
“This investigation was complex, with multiple scenes,” he said in a statement. “I’m proud of how quickly our detectives were able to piece together the puzzle.”
Alexandro is being held on a $1 million bond, while Christian is being held on a $1.5 million bond.
Melendez is being held on a bond of $1,502,000 million.
View the full police conference and arraignment here:
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