The body of a 54-year-old woman missing since February has been found in a cemetery on the side of a highway in Mexico, police say.
Reyna Henandez of Renton, Washington — a suburb of Seattle approximately 12 miles south of downtown — disappeared from her home on Feb. 26, according to the Renton Police Department, and her friends reported her missing two days later on Feb. 28 when she failed to return home from running errands and not opening her hair salon in the Renton Highlands.
“Over the past several days, detectives have served multiple search warrants and are following up on dozens of leads,” Renton Police initially said during their investigation into the disappearance of Hernandez. “A friend reported that he last spoke with Ms. Hernandez on Monday, February 26, between 10:00 and 10:30 am as she was out running errands. She told her friend she was going to a home in South Renton. Evidence recovered in the search warrants indicates that Ms. Hernandez was taken against her will, and we do not believe her car is currently in the area.”
The case took a turn, however, on March 8 when detectives were alerted to a news article in Mexicali about “an unidentified body found in a local cemetery on the Tijuana Highway,” according to the statement from the Renton Police Department detailing the case.
The body of a 54-year-old woman missing since February has been found with signs of torture in a cemetery on the side of a highway in Mexico, police in Washington say.
Facebook / Renton Police Department
Investigators from Renton subsequently contacted Mexican authorities and were able to provide enough information to identify Hernandez over the weekend, police say.
Mexican law enforcement officials arrested a suspect in the case on unrelated charges and authorities confirmed that a 61-year-old Renton resident is currently in custody in Mexico, where they were also able to recover Hernandez’s vehicle.
Authorities did not say what relation Hernandez had to the 61-year-old suspect but did say that it was suspected to be a domestic violence crime.
“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.”
Authorities are now working to determine the time and manner of death for the victim and where the homicide was committed. If it is determined that it happened in the U.S., authorities would seek to extradite the suspect to face charges in that jurisdiction.
The discovery of a 54-year-old woman’s body in a cemetery along a Mexican highway has shocked and saddened many in the local community. The woman, whose identity has not been released to the public, was found by a passerby early in the morning, lying among the gravestones in a state of decomposition.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death, as well as her identity and possible motives for her presence in the cemetery. While initial reports suggest that foul play may have been involved, no official cause of death has been determined at this time.
The discovery of a body in such a public and sacred place as a cemetery is deeply disturbing and raises questions about the safety and security of individuals in the area. It is a tragic reminder of the dangers that many people face on a daily basis, especially women who are often more vulnerable to violence and crime.
The local community has been left reeling from this tragic incident, with many expressing their shock and disbelief at the news. The woman’s family and friends are undoubtedly grieving her loss, and are seeking answers as to what led to her untimely death.
As authorities continue their investigation, it is important for members of the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity they may have witnessed in the area. It is crucial that those responsible for this heinous crime are brought to justice and that measures are put in place to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
In the meantime, our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the 54-year-old woman whose life was cut short in such a senseless and tragic manner. May she rest in peace.
