Mexican authorities said they captured a convicted murderer who broke out of a California prison late last year and is suspected of gunning down a veteran police officer who was trying to arrest him in Tijuana earlier this month.
The Attorney General’s office for the state of Baja California said authorities took Cesar Hernandez, 35, into custody Thursday night during an operation called “Gacela,” which translates to gazelle.
“The State Attorney General’s Office reiterates its commitment to acting firmly and legally, and reaffirms its commitment that in Baja California, whoever does wrong, pays,” the office said in a statement.
Hernandez, who is an American citizen, was serving an 80-year sentence in California after being convicted in June 2019 of killing a man outside of a bar in Los Angeles.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said he escaped state custody in December while being transported to court for a hearing that could have revoked his last chance at receiving parole.
Local reports said Hernandez broke out of his handcuffs and shackles by using a makeshift key as he was driven to the Kern County courthouse.
Prison officials wouldn’t comment on how he escaped, but video obtained by Bakersfield’s KGET-TV showed Hernandez sprinting unrestrained out of a prison van and easily outrunning a pursuing guard.
On April 9, officials said the leader of Mexican police’s elite “Gringo Hunters” unit, which tracks down American fugitives in the country, was shot dead while trying to arrest a man in Tijuana.
Mexican media said the man was able to flee the scene by disguising himself as a cleaner.
Mexican authorities eventually named Hernandez as being wanted in connection to the killing of commander Abigail Esparza Reyes, 33, who ran the Gringo Hunters unit in Baja California.
“To the family and loved ones of Officer Abigail, we recognize your bravery and dedication in the service of your state,” Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar said in a statement after her death. “Our wishes for a speedy resignation are with you; Abigail’s life will be honored, and her death will not go unpunished.”
At the time of his escape, Hernandez was scheduled to be sentenced after he pleaded no contest to manufacturing a weapon or possessing drugs while locked up.
It would have been his third strike and removed any possibility he could seek parole from his 80-year prison term.
It’s unclear whether Hernandez will face prosecution in Mexico or the U.S. at this time.
