Crime & Safety
Watsonville Man To Face Charges In Wife's Killing, DA Says
He had apparently fled to Mexico, but was arrested Monday in the U.S. after re-crossing the border, police said.
WATSONVILLE, CA — A Watsonville man was arrested on suspicion of killing his wife early Tuesday morning near the United States-Mexico border, police announced.
Cesar Hernandez, 47, was accused of killing wife Brenda Becerra, 24, last week. Her body was found in their family car in Santa Cruz hours after she was reported missing around 3 a.m. Thursday. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office forensic pathologist determined her cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation.
Their two children are safe with family, police previously said.
Find out what's happening in Watsonvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Police announced Monday that they believed Hernandez, a citizen of Mexico, had fled the country. Around 5 p.m. Monday, U.S. Border Patrol agents notified Watsonville police that Hernandez had been detained on U.S. soil.
Hernandez is believed to have re-entered the United States from Mexico, police said.
Find out what's happening in Watsonvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Watsonville police headed to San Ysidro in San Diego to pick up Hernandez. He was arrested around 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell said during a Tuesday news conference that he expects to file a murder charge against Hernandez in about a day. Hernandez's arraignment may take place as soon as Friday.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing.
Watch officials discuss the case during a news conference here:
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