Escaped California prison inmate convicted of murder kills police commander in Mexico: report

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A convicted murderer on the run since his escape from custody in California last year is now wanted for killing a Mexican police commander in an elite unit known as “the Gringo Hunters” after a shootout with authorities this week.

The unit was trying to arrest Cesar Hernandez, 34, who remains wanted in the U.S., in the border city of Tijuana when a shooting occurred. Mexican police commander Abigail Esparza Reyes, the head of the unit dedicated to capturing American suspects in Mexico, was shot and killed, Reuters reported.

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Caesar Hernandez (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)

Marina del Pilar, the governor of Baja California, confirmed Reyes’ death in a statement on Wednesday.

“I deeply regret the death of State Citizen Security Force Agent Abigail Esparza Reyes, while participating in an arrest warrant enforcement operation currently underway,” she wrote on X.

“To the family and loved ones of Officer Abigail, we recognize your bravery and dedication in the service of your state,” Pilar added. “Our wishes for a speedy resignation are with you; Abigail’s life will be honored, and her death will not go unpunished.”

Mexico has long been seen by criminal suspects as a place to evade U.S. law enforcement. In 2002, the unit nicknamed “Gringo Hunters” was created to cooperate with U.S. authorities and apprehend fugitives who cross the border, the report said.

Esparza Reyes had led the regional team of the unit for eight years, carrying out more than 400 operations aimed at arresting U.S. fugitives who had fled to Mexico.

A woman walks on the beach next to the border wall topped with razor wire in Tijuana, Mexico. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

The U.S. Marshals Service said its personnel were in the area but not involved in the shooting incident, FOX Los Angeles reported. 

“We will continue to assist our international partners with the associated investigations. Those who commit violence against law enforcement officers will be held accountable. To protect the integrity of the investigations, USMS will not offer further commentary,” they said in a statement. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Marshals Service.

Hernandez, 34, escaped from custody on Dec. 2, 2024, shortly after arriving at the Kern County Superior Courthouse in Delano, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Vehicles wait at the San Ysidro Port of Entry along the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana, Mexico, in 2022. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

He was being taken to a court appearance when he jumped out of the van and fled, authorities said. 

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Hernandez was previously sentenced to 80 years to life with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, a second-strike offense, CDCR said in a statement.

At the time of his escape, Hernandez was housed at Kern Valley State Prison.

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.