Escaped California Inmate Nabbed in Mexico After Killing Elite Police Chief

Cesar Hernandez, a 34-year-old fugitive who busted out of a California prison, was arrested in Tijuana this week after a deadly run that took a tragic turn for Mexican law enforcement. Hernandez had been on the lam since December, when he made a wild escape during a court transport in Delano, California, where he was serving an 80-years-to-life sentence for first-degree murder.

His freedom didn’t last long, but he left devastation in his wake. Mexican authorities say Hernandez gunned down Abigail Esparza Reyes, the 33-year-old commander of the elite "Gringo Hunters" police unit, during a shootout on April 9 in Tijuana. The unit is famous for tracking down U.S. fugitives hiding out south of the border—talk about a tragic twist of fate for a cop who chased down America’s most wanted.

Mexico’s State Investigation Agency finally caught up with Hernandez on Thursday, after what officials described as a coordinated operation loaded with tactical analysis and data collection. The Baja California prosecutor’s office didn’t hold back in their statement after the arrest, highlighting their "outstanding intelligence and investigative work" and promising that in Baja California, "whoever does it, pays for it." Not exactly subtle, but you have to respect their gusto.

Hernandez is now facing criminal proceedings in Mexico, with his legal fate to be determined according to the law. It’s a bitter end to a saga that began when Hernandez was handed over from Los Angeles County to Kern County in 2019, and finally made his escape from Kern Valley State Prison late last year. For a guy who jumped out of a van and ran for it, his story’s gone from Hollywood escape to international tragedy in a matter of months.