Online petition demands release of Texas teens accused of killing stepfather over alleged sexual assault of sister

An online petition calling for the release of three Texas teens who are in jail after being accused of beating their stepfather to death has garnered nearly half a million signatures.

Two brothers, Christian Trevino, 17 and Alejandro Trevino, 18, accompanied by a family friend, Juan Eduardo Melendez, 19, are accused of beating their stepfather on Jan. 20 and leaving him to die in a McAllen field where his body was discovered by a farmer, KPRC 2 previously reported.

According to a police report, the teens confronted the stepfather following an accusation that he sexually assaulted the Trevino brothers’ 9-year-old sister.

[RELATED: Texas teen brothers, their friend accused of beating stepfather to death after half-sister accused him of sexual assault, reports say]

The online petition addressed to Gov. Greg Abbott asks that the teens who face life in prison be released for “protecting their sister.”

As of this writing, Abbott has not addressed the petition.