A California fugitive who was also on the run in Mexico was captured by local law enforcement, officials announced on Friday.
Concretely, Cesar Hernandez was taken in a joint operative carried out by state and federal officers. He had managed to avoid authorities last week, killing a Baja California commander.
The incident took place in a gated community located less than 15 miles from the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Agent Abigail Esparza Reyes was among the officers responding to a report that a suspect wanted by the United States had barricaded himself inside a residence to avoid arrest.
Hernández opened fire as law enforcement approached the home. Esparza Reyes was struck by gunfire and transported to a nearby hospital in Tijuana, where she later died from her injuries.
En un operativo conjunto se logró la aprehensión de César Moisés Hernández, ciudadano estadounidense acusado del asesinato de la Jefa de Enlace Internacional de la Policía Estatal de Baja California, Abigail Esparza, en Barcelona Residencial de Tijuana. pic.twitter.com/iR7D30NhuT
— José Ibarra (@JoseibarraBC) April 18, 2025
According to video evidence that circulated on social media, the standoff lasted about four hours and despite many efforts from law enforcement, Hernández managed to escape from the scene.
Hernandez had been wanted by California authorities since December 2024, when he escaped from California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) custody. American authorities were offering a $35,000 reward for information leading to his capture in Mexico.
Hernandez managed to escape custody in the U.S. by evading custody and jumping off a vehicle. He was serving a 25-year-to-life sentence for first-degree murder, a second-strike offense, after being received from Los Angeles County on June 27, 2019.
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