EDINBURG — The oldest of the two Pharr brothers who are accused of beating their stepfather to death for allegedly sexually abusing their 9-year-old half sister pleaded not guilty Monday morning.
Alejandro Santos Treviño, 18, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
His younger brother, 17-year-old Christian Treviño, is facing a capital murder charge. Alejandro is charged with that one count of aggravated assault because police say he wasn’t present during 42-year-old Gabriel Quintanilla’s final moments.
According to the affidavit, Alejandro participated in two assaults against Quintanilla on Jan. 19, one at the brothers’ residence in the 1200 block of East Moore Road and another at an apartment complex on Linden and Coyote streets.
Alejandro’s friend and co-defendant, 19-year-old Juan Eduardo Melendez, arrived at the brothers’ residence in a red Dodge Charger, picking up Alejandro and leaving to search for Christian who had chased after Quintanilla, who fled the scene after the initial assault, according to the criminal complaint.
After the second assault at the apartment complex, the trio stopped by Melendez’s residence, boarded Melendez’s white Ford F-150 and drove back to the Treviños residence where Alejandro stayed behind, the complaint stated.
Melendez and Christian left Alejandro to find Quintanilla for a third assault where the two allegedly kidnapped and eventually killed Quintanilla, leaving his body in a field near McColl and Whalen roads in McAllen, police say.
Alejandro is facing two to 20 years in prison if convicted.
A pre-trial hearing for Alejandro is set for Aug. 1.
