Texas brothers allegedly beat stepfather to death for sexually abusing their younger sister

Laura Grainger

The stepfather also had an arrest warrant for the sexual assault of another child in an unrelated case.

Two brothers – along with their friend – have been arrested for allegedly beating their stepfather to death after it was claimed he sexually abused their younger sister.

The Pharr Police Department in Texas said the body of 42-year-old Gabriel Quintanilla was found in a field by a farmer last Thursday.

Alejandro Trevino, 18, his brother Christian Trevino, 17, and the pair’s friend Juan Eduardo Melendez, 18, were all arrested in connection with his death.

Police believe the boys assaulted him three times before leaving him for dead after a 9-year-old child, later revealed to be Quintanilla’s biological daughter and the brothers’ half-sister, alerted someone that Quintanilla had touched her inappropriately.

Quintanilla already had an arrest warrant for the continuous sexual assault of a different child and assault family violence, police confirmed.

At a press conference, Pharr Police Deputy Chief Juan Gonzalez said the assaults followed a confrontation after the brothers found out about their sister’s claims.

“When the brothers Alejandro and Christian found out, they confronted Gabriel at the residence, and a physical fight ensued between the three,” Gonzalez said.

“Quintanilla left the location on foot[…] Christian Trevino runs out after the victim and finds him outside of an apartment complex further south down the road.

“A second assault occurs there and Alexandro Trevino and the driver of a red Dodge Charger, who we have identified as Juan Gonzalez Melendez, catch up to him and again join in on an assault of the victim at that point.”

The three then left the scene and changed vehicles, but began to search for Quintanilla again, according to police. They found him walking along a street alone and injured from the prior altercations.

A third attack then occurred and police say Quintanilla was placed in the back of a truck, still alive, and driven to the field he was dumped in.

The three suspects were arraigned on Sunday and charged with aggravated assault and engaging in organised criminal activity. Christian Trevino and Melendez were also both charged with capital murder.