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Mexican Police Officer Killed by Escaped U.S. Fugitive in Tijuana Shootout

Cesar Hernandez, a convicted murderer who escaped California custody in December 2024, fatally shot Abigail Esparza Reyes, leader of the Gringo Hunters unit, during an arrest attempt and remains at large.

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Members of security forces work near a crime scene where a U.S. citizen shot and killed Abigail Esparza Reyes, 33, a top Mexican state police officer in an elite unit known as the "Gringo Hunters", which tracks and arrests U.S. fugitives in Mexico, in Tijuana, Mexico, April 9, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
Members of security forces work near a crime scene where a U.S. citizen shot and killed Abigail Esparza Reyes, 33, a top Mexican state police officer in an elite unit known as the "Gringo Hunters", which tracks and arrests U.S. fugitives in Mexico, in Tijuana, Mexico, April 9, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
Members of security forces work near a crime scene where a U.S. citizen shot and killed Abigail Esparza Reyes, 33, a top Mexican state police officer in an elite unit known as the "Gringo Hunters", which tracks and arrests U.S. fugitives in Mexico, in Tijuana, Mexico, April 9, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer

Overview

  • Cesar Hernandez, a 34-year-old convicted murderer, escaped custody in California in December 2024 and is now wanted for killing a Mexican police officer during a shootout.
  • Abigail Esparza Reyes, 33, led the Baja California Gringo Hunters unit for eight years, conducting over 400 operations to capture U.S. fugitives in Mexico.
  • The fatal shootout occurred on April 9, 2025, in Tijuana during an operation to apprehend Hernandez, who managed to escape disguised as a worker.
  • Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar vowed that Esparza Reyes' death would not go unpunished, as Mexican authorities intensify their manhunt for Hernandez.
  • The Gringo Hunters unit, established in 2002, has played a vital role in cross-border law enforcement, underscoring the risks faced by officers like Esparza Reyes.