Wylie Teen Accused of Murder to be Tried as Adult

A Collin County judge ruled late Friday to certify a Wylie teen accused of murdering a classmate as an adult.

Wylie Police say 17-year-old Ivan Mejia was strangled to death in March by two teens, both of whom were his peers at Wylie East High School.

Brenden Bridges was 16 on the day the crime happened, but just four days before his 17th birthday.

NBC 5 is now identifying Bridges as one of the suspects, since his case is no longer in the juvenile system.

His attorney Edwin King told NBC 5 by phone on Friday afternoon that the decision to certify Bridges as an adult was “not the one we were hoping for,” adding “we’re prepared to deal with it.”

According to documents from the Texas Attorney General’s office called the “Juvenile Justice Handbook” the “law favors certification when the offense is against a person.”

The court is also supposed to consider four factors: the sophistication and maturity of the child, the previous record of the child, the continuing danger the child poses to the public and the likelihood of the child’s rehabilitation with the resources available to the juvenile court.

While Bridges had no criminal history and two psychologists testified they believed, with the proper resources, he might be rehabilitated, Wylie police detectives who’d investigated the crime noted “concern” about apparent premeditation.

A psychologist testified on Thursday that the teens began planning the crime days in advance, that the planning started as a “fantasy” but the teens eventually felt they were “in too deep” to turn back.

According to the state’s evidence, Mejia and Bridges had been dating the same teenage girl, also a student at Wylie East High School.

The state presented that evidence as motive for murder.

The case will now be transferred from juvenile court to an adult criminal court.

The state must still seek an indictment against Bridges from a grand jury. However, if a grand jury does not return an indictment, the case must be dismissed.

It cannot be returned to juvenile court under Texas state law.

Bridges was booked into the Collin County jail Friday evening without bond.

Contact Us