After going missing for two weeks, a 54-year-old Seattle suburbia woman was discovered dead in Mexico, and Mexican police detained a man they characterized as a suspect on unrelated charges.
This week, Renton, Washington, police reported that acquaintances had informed them that Reyna Hernandez had not been in contact since February 26.
She claimed to be performing errands before heading back home, according to friends who informed authorities. Hernandez didn’t open her hair business or pick up her phone two days later, so someone reported her missing.
An unidentified body was discovered in a cemetery along the Tijuana Highway in Mexicali, a port of entry between the United States and Mexico close to the California border, according to a news report that police viewed on Friday.
Over the weekend, Mexicali authorities were called by Renton investigators, who supplied sufficient details to positively identify Hernandez’s remains, according to the police. The reason why the police thought Hernandez’s body belonged to him was not disclosed.
According to Renton police, Hernandez’s car was found and a 61-year-old Renton man was taken into custody by Mexican law enforcement on unrelated charges.
Hernandez’s death was reported as a case of domestic violence by Renton police, but they withheld the identity of the guy who was detained and offered no details about any possible relationship between them.
There is proof, according to the police, that Hernandez was taken against her will.
Renton police Cmdr. Chandler Swain stated in a press release, “This is the worst possible outcome, and our hearts go out to Reyna’s family and friends.”
To ascertain Hernandez’s death’s time and location, he said, detectives are collaborating with Mexicali police and federal authorities in the United States. He went on to say that if it turned out Hernandez’s killing happened on US soil, US officials would try to extradite the arrested man.
Renton Police Department’s Meeghan Black told KIRO-TV, “To have this as the outcome is just devastating.” “It’s now gone across country lines, not just state lines but country lines and we were working very well with Mexican officials and we’re getting the federal officials involved to try and figure out who takes jurisdiction when we figure out that timeline.”
