Missing Wash. woman found dead, wrapped in blanket in Mexico cemetery was allegedly tortured
03/13/2024 3:59 pm PDT
RENTON, Wash. (TCD) -- A 54-year-old woman from Washington state who went missing in February was found dead with her hands and feet tied at a local cemetery in Mexico last week.
The Renton Police Department posted a missing person bulletin Feb. 29, stating that Reyna Hernandez, a small business owner, left her home on Monday, Feb. 26, to run errands. According to police, on Wednesday, Feb. 28, friends reported her missing after she failed to return home, answer her phone, or show up for work at her hair salon. Investigators recovered evidence suggesting Hernandez had been abducted against her will.
On March 8, detectives learned of an unidentified body found in a cemetery on the Tijuana Highway. Investigators contacted Mexican authorities and determined the victim to be Hernandez.
Mexican law enforcement officials apprehended a 61-year-old unnamed suspect from Renton, Washington, on unrelated charges, and he remains in custody in Mexico. Hernandez's vehicle was also located in Mexico.
Detectives believe Hernandez was a victim of domestic violence.
Family members told KCPQ-TV the suspect was Hernandez's partner. According to the news source, the suspect allegedly tortured Hernandez, and she was found bound at the hands and feet and shot in the head. Her body was reportedly wrapped in a blanket as well.
Police have not yet determined if the victim was killed in the United States or Mexico. If the slaying occurred in the U.S., officials would seek to extradite the suspect.
Renton Police Investigations Commander Chandler Swain said, "This is the worst possible outcome, and our hearts go out to Reyna’s family and friends. We are working closely with Mexicali police and our U.S. Federal partners to determine when and where Reyna was killed."
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