Photo: Renton Police Department
A Washington State woman missing for weeks has been found dead in a cemetery near a highway in Mexico. The Renton Police Department confirmed the body of 54-year-old Reyna Hernandez was discovered in Mexicali, Mexico in a Monday (March 11) news release.
Investigators said Hernandez disappeared on February 26 from a home in Renton, which is roughly 11 miles away from Downtown Seattle. Her loved ones reported her missing two days later after she failed to return home from running errands and didn't open her small business.
Detectives got a break in the case when they were alerted about a news story covering an unidentified body found in a cemetery on the Tijuana Highway. Police then contacted Mexican authorities, who provided enough information to identify Hernandez over the weekend.
Mexican authorities also arrested a suspect in Hernandez's case on unrelated charges. The person, identified as a 61-year-old Renton resident, remains in custody in Mexico. Law enforcement officials in Mexico also recovered the missing woman's vehicle, according to police.
Investigators believe Hernandez was the victim of a domestic violence crime, though they didn't provide any details on the suspect's relation with her. If detectives determine the crime happened while still in the United States, then they'll seek extradition for the 61-year-old.
“This is the worst possible outcome, and our hearts go out to Reyna’s family and friends,” Investigations Commander Chandler Swain said in a statement. “We are working closely with Mexicali police and our U.S. Federal partners to determine when and where Reyna was killed.”
The investigation is ongoing.