Pedro Hernandez biography

Synopsis

Life and Crime

Pedro Hernandez ended a more-than-30-year-old mystery when he confessed to the 1979 murder of six-year-old Etan Patz. Patz had disappeared on his way to his bus stop in New York City's SoHo neighborhood on May 25, 1979, and the ensuing search for him captured the attention of the nation.

Born in Puerto Rico, Hernandez comes from a large family. Some reports indicate that he is one of 11 children. His family came to the United States in the early 1970s. By 1979, Hernandez was working in New York City, as a stock boy in a bodega. He later told police that he saw 6-year-old Etan Patz on his way to his bus stop on the morning of May 25, 1979, and offered the boy a soda. Patz reportedly went with Hernandez into the store's basement. It was there that Hernandez allegedly strangled Patz and then put his body into a garbage bag. Hernandez said he threw the body out in a trash bin.

When Patz's parents reported that their son was missing, police conducted an extensive search for Etan, but there was no trace of him. Some employees at the bodega where Hernandez worked were interviewed in connection with the case, but the police didn't speak with Hernandez. Shortly after Patz's death, Hernandez moved to New Jersey.

Confession and Arrest

As early as 1981, Hernandez reportedly began talking about how he had murdered a child. This story became a repeated rumor within his family for years, but no one knew exactly what he was talking about. According to a report in The New York Times, Hernandez's father believed that his son had killed a child in a hit-and-run incident.

Hernandez married Daisy Rivera in 1983, but their union was short-lived. Five years later, Hernandez wed Rosemary Vargus. The couple has one daughter, Becky. Hernandez suffered an injury in 1993, and went on disability. Soon after, he and second wife Rosemary had financial troubles, declaring bankruptcy in 1999.

Hernandez's past caught up with him in 2012. Investigators received a tip about Hernandez, and not long after, he confessed to killing Etan Patz. When police asked why he killed the boy, he said, "I don't know," according to The New York Times. Some of his family members said they doubt his guilt, as Hernandez has a history of mental illness.

Hernandez has been charged with second-degree murder, and the authorities continue to search corroborating evidence to support his confession. A number of items, including a computer hard drive, were seized during a search of Hernandez's Maple Shade, New Jersey home. Hernandez also continues to be assessed by authorities to determine whether he is mentally fit to stand trial. A hearing on this issue is slated for October 2012.

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