Today, following a four-day Jury trial in Sumner County Criminal Court and twenty-five minutes of deliberation, Assistant District Attorney Generals Tara Wyllie and Nathan Nichols secured a conviction for first degree murder against Fernando Mejia in the shooting death of Trinity Bostic, a 17-year-old Macon County High School student.
During the trial, Generals Wyllie and Nichols proved to the Jury that on July 3, 2024, the Hendersonville Police Department opened a suspicious death investigation after the remains of a white female were discovered on the side of Veterans Parkway by TDOT workers who were performing litter pickup. Two-days later, the remains were identified by the Tennessee medical examiner through dental records as belonging to 17-year-old Trinity Bostic, a high school senior from Macon County who had been reported missing by her father days earlier. The Medical Examiner also determined that Trinity’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the face.
As Detective Frank Scalise of the Hendersonville Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division investigated Trinity’s movements during the days before her body was discovered, he found that Trinity had spent most of June 29, 2024 in the company of Fernando Mejia, a 17-year-old classmate with whom she had been romantically involved. After executing a search warrant at Mejia’s Macon County home, Detectives Scalise, Betsy Mullins, Nick Edwards, Oswaldo Herrera, and Lee Chambers located Trinity’s bank card, clothing, and air pods in Meija’s bedroom. The gun that killed Trinity was later located in Mejia’s car. After seizing a dash cam system which Mejia had installed in his car and obtaining phone records, Detective Scalise determined that, Mejia killed Trinity between approximately 9:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on June 29, 2024 after pulling over on the side of the road in front of Exit 6 on Veterans Parkway. After the murder, Mejia drove back to the scene and then left again. Dash camera footage from Mejia’s car also captured the moment he learned Trinity’s remains had been found and showed him to be smiling and laughing at the news.
After the Jury returned its verdict, Judge Dee David Gay immediately sentenced Mejia to serve a life sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction. Prior to imposing sentence, Trinity’s family was permitted to address the Court and remembered her as being a beautiful soul who loved her family and, sadly, also loved Mejia.
In announcing Mejia’s conviction and sentence, District Attorney General Thomas Dean said the following:
“My office could not have achieved justice in this case without the excellent work of the Hendersonville Police Department and vital assistance of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Tennessee Medical Examiner’s Office. I am also proud of the excellent work done by my Assistant District Attorneys Tara Wyllie and Nathan Nichols. I am also extremely grateful for the efforts of Victim-Witness Coordinators Sally Ann Pirtle and Tina Fuqua, Intern Zoe Cantrell and ADA Cameron Buckner, who provided much-needed support to the prosecutors and Trinity’s family. Fernando Mejia is now where he belongs, in prison serving a life sentence. Trinity Bostic was a light to all who knew her and had a bright future ahead of her. The cruel and senseless actions of this Defendant may have ended Trinity’s life, but her memory will live on forever through those who knew and loved her. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with Trinity’s family.”
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