Cesar Hernandez Watsonville, California man arrested after wife, Brenda Becerra found dead in her car as the husband attempted to drive back to the USA from his native Mexico.
A California man has been arrested after his 24-year-old wife was found dead in her car, authorities said.
Cesar Hernandez, 47, of Watsonville, was detained by border patrol agents Monday night in San Ysidro after attempting to return to the US from his home country of Mexico, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reports.
He was wanted in the slaying of his wife Brenda Elizabeth Becerra, whose body was found inside her car Thursday in Santa Cruz. Prior to his arrest, Hernandez had been considered a primary suspect in Becerra’s murder.
Offered Watsonville Police: ‘Our detectives have been working around the clock since last Thursday, collecting evidence, gathering surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses.’
At the time of the Watsonville mother’s body discovery, police believed Hernandez had left the country according to KSBW.
No known motive
Becerra, who worked for Dignity Health Dominican Hospital, had initially been reported missing after Hernandez dropped off the couple’s two young children earlier that day around 2 a.m. at a relative’s home with little explanation,
Watsonville Patch reported.
It wasn’t until nine hours after Becerra had been reported missing that her body was found. Authorities believe the victim was killed in Wastonsville before her body was driven about 15 miles and left in the car.
The Santa Cruz County Coroner’s Office said the cause of death was blunt-force head injuries and strangulation.
Hernandez remains in Santa Cruz County jail, where he’s awaiting arraignment in the case where he will face one count of second degree murder.
Not immediately clear is what led to the husband allegedly killing his wife.
