The search for Reyna Hernandez, a missing 54-year-old woman from Renton, Washington, concluded tragically after her body was discovered more than 1,300 miles away in a Mexicali, Mexico cemetery, according to a Facebook statement by police on March 11.
Hernandez, who had been missing since February 26, was discovered in a cemetery located along the Tijuana Highway.
Hernandez vanished from her home in Renton, failing to return from running errands and later not opening her hair salon, a business she owned in the Seattle suburb. Friends alarmed by her sudden disappearance reported her missing on February 28 to the Renton Police Department.
Police believe she went missing from a residence two days earlier. A companion informed law enforcement that the last conversation he had with her was on February 26, during which she mentioned that she was completing some chores and heading to a house in South Renton, as per the preliminary press statement issued by the police department.
The case took a turn when detectives received a tip about an unidentified body in Mexicali, leading to a cross-border investigation.
Upon discovery, Hernandez’s body showed signs of torture, with her hands and feet bound, and a gunshot wound to the head, wrapped in a blanket.
The discovery led to the arrest of a 61-year-old Renton resident in Mexico on unrelated charges, who is now a suspect in Hernandez’s disappearance and suspected homicide.
The suspect’s relationship to Hernandez has not been fully disclosed, but Renton police have suggested a domestic violence angle to the crime.
The Renton Police Department, along with Mexican law enforcement are working together to piece the events leading to Hernandez’s death. While the exact location of the crime remains under investigation, the evidence suggests a calculated act of violence that transcended national borders. The recovery of Hernandez’s vehicle in Mexico points to a premeditated effort to conceal the crime.
The Renton Police Department has expressed its deepest sympathies to Hernandez’s family and friends, describing the outcome as “the worst possible, and our hearts go out to Reyna’s family and friends.” Commander Chandler Swain emphasized the department’s commitment to working closely with both Mexicali police and U.S. federal partners to bring clarity and justice to this tragic case.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward as they work to piece together the final days of Hernandez’s life.