Teen Murder Suspect to Face Trial As Adult in Killing of 17-Year-Old Runaway Trinity Lei Bostic

GALLATIN, TN – A Tennessee judge has ruled that Fernando Perales Mejia, a 17-year-old accused of murdering another teenager, will be tried as an adult. The decision follows the late June killing of 17-year-old Trinity Lei Bostic.

The case against Mejia, initially kept under wraps with his identity not disclosed, has unfolded rapidly since his arrest. Details emerged in a mid-July police affidavit, around the same time prosecutors announced their intention to try Mejia as an adult.

This week’s judicial ruling in Sumner County enables District Attorney General Ray Whitley to proceed with an adult trial.

The investigation into Bostic’s disappearance began when she was reported miss...