Missing Washington state woman found dead, tortured in Mexico cemetery, suspect in custody

A woman missing from Washington state was found dead in a cemetery in Mexico, the Renton Police Department announced Monday evening.

Reyna Hernandez, 54, who went missing from her home in South Renton on Feb. 26, was found dead near Mexicali, the capital of Baja California right across the U.S.-Mexico border, on March 8.

Friends reported Hernandez missing on February 28 when she failed to return home from running errands and did not open her small business in the Renton Highlands.

On March 8, detectives were alerted to a news article in Mexicali about an unidentified body found in a local cemetery on the Tijuana Highway. 

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Investigators contacted Mexican authorities and were able to provide enough information to identify Hernandez over the weekend.

Mexican law enforcement officials arrested a suspect in the case on unrelated charges. 

A 61-year-old Renton resident is currently in custody in Mexico where they were also able to recover Hernandez’s vehicle, police said.

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Detectives believe this was a domestic violence crime and the evidence indicates Hernandez was taken against her will. 

Authorities confirmed to Fox 13 that there were signs of torture, saying Hernandez was bound at the hands and feet, shot in the head and wrapped in a blanket.

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“This is the worst possible outcome, and our hearts go out to Reyna’s family and friends,” said Investigations Commander Chandler Swain. “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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Once the time and manner of death are confirmed, detectives can determine where the homicide was committed. If the homicide happened in the U.S., authorities would seek extradition, so the suspect can face charges in that jurisdiction, officials said.