(DELANO, Calif.) — An escaped California inmate is now wanted for killing a Mexican police commander who hunts down foreign fugitives — also known as a “gringo hunter” — during a shootout in Tijuana, officials said.
Abigail Esparza Reyes, who was part of a specialized Mexican state police unit responsible for locating foreign fugitives who cross the border, was killed on Wednesday while trying to arrest Cesar Hernandez, an escaped inmate from Southern California, officials said.
Marina del Pilar, the governor of Baja California State, confirmed Reyes’ death in a statement on Wednesday.
“To the family and loved ones of Agent Abigail, we recognize their courage and dedication to the service of their state,” Pilar said on X. “Our wishes for prompt resignation are with you, Abigail’s life will be honored and her death will not go unpunished.”
The shooting took place two days after Hernandez’s 35th birthday.
Surveillance footage shows an individual, who authorities identified as Hernandez, changing into bright yellow worker’s clothing, seeming to blend in after the shooting.
Hernandez escaped from custody on Dec. 2, 2024, shortly after arriving for a court appearance in Delano, California, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Upon arrival, Hernandez “evaded staff custody, jumped out of the van and is currently at large,” officials said at the time.
He was arrested in 2019 and sentenced to 80 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole, officials said. He received 25 years for first-degree murder, a sentence “doubled because it was a second strike,” and discharging a firearm during the crime, officials said. Hernandez also received five years for a prior offense, officials said.
Before his escape, Hernandez was housed at the Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, officials said.
Hernandez is still on the run after the shootout that killed Reyes, officials said.
Reyes was featured in a “Nightline x Impact” episode in 2024 that highlighted the “gringo hunters” and their work to catch fugitives who evade law enforcement by fleeing to Mexico.
In the episode, Reyes is seen leading a mission to arrest a fugitive charged with murder who was found in Tijuana.
ABC News’ Sara Sandrick, Ellie Kaufman, Jen Watts and Alondra De La Cruz contributed to this report.
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