Check out the Newest Episode

Evelyn & Alex Hernandez

Pic of Evelyn and Alex Hernandez via Alta California

Disappearance

Evelyn was only 24 years old, and her son Alex only 5 years old, when they were last seen on May 1, 2002. That day, Evelyn, who was pregnant with her second child took her son to school and when she returned home that evening she talked with her sister on the phone. It would be the last known time anyone talked with them before their dissapearance. On May 7th, Herman Aguilar, who was the father of her baby, and her sister contacted SFPD to report Evelyn and Alex missing. Initially police think Evelyn may have left town with her son to have her baby. In her apartment they found passports but her wallet is missing.

Wallet Found

On May 30, 2002, Evelyn Hernandez' wallet is dropped of at a police station. An unknown person had found the wallet in a ditch in a undeveloped parking lot near the corner of South Linden Ave and N Canal Street in South San Francisco. They had found the wallet earlier in the month and assumed it had been lost accidentally. They tried to get in touch with Evelyn Hernandez to give it back to her but couldn't reach her. There weren't any news reports that Evelyn or Alex had gone missing and no reason to think the wallet was evidence in a larger crime. Inside the wallet is Evelyn's identification, some folded up case and her disability check, which hadn't been cashed. When police get the wallet they realize this is evidence that Evelyn isn't missing on her accord and transfer her case from missing persons to homicide. Police go to the area and search for more evidence of Evelyn and Alex, even using trained dogs, but do not find any more evidence.

Area where wallet was found in South San Francisco via Google Maps

Pic of Colma Creek in general area where the wallet was found, via Google Maps

San Francisco Examiner, June 12, 2002, pg. 6A

Coverage

Evelyn Hernandez had a son, a baby on the way, family and friends, she worked and helped at her son's school, and after she and Alex went missing there was little coverage. Forty-two days after she was last seen and 35 days since she was reported missing the San Francisco, the San Francisco Examiner prints a story about the disappearance for the first time. The date was June 12, 2002 and on page 6A.

San Francisco Police Detective Holly Pera: "It's embarrassing," said Pera, the San Francisco police inspector. "We've pushed and asked for and received as much as we possibly could. But we don't make the decision about what gets covered and what doesn't." (San Francisco Chronicle, April 21, 2003, article written: Kelly St. John)

Body Found

Then on July 24, 2002, a pedestrian walking along the Embarcadero near the Bay Bridge saw a body floating in the water and called police. Police recovered the body and found it was only the lower torso and legs of a human. Nearby was maternity clothes. Using Evelyn's toothbrush the police compare the DNA to that of the body and find a match. Evelyn Hernandez is believed to have been murdered. Neither her unborn baby or her son Alex were found. Police believe Evelyn and Alex were both murdered.

Rincon Park area where body was found, via Google Maps

Reward

In 2003, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown was asked the SFPD to add a reward in the case of Evelyn Hernandez. At that time a reward was offered for $10,000 for information leading to an arrest in the murder of Evelyn Hernandez and for information regarding Alex Hernandez. In 2019, SFPD announced a reward of $100,000 for information in the case.

San Francisco Police Detective Holly Pera in 2003: "At this point, it's going to take people to come forward and remember something." (San Francisco Chronicle, April 21, 2003, article written: Kelly St. John)

Alexis Geraldo Hernandez

Family and loved ones of Evelyn and Alex Hernandez are still looking for Alex and believe he is alive. According to The Charley Project, Alex was born on November 6, 1996 and was 5 years old when he went missing. In 2020 he would be 23 years old. In 2002, he was described as 4 feet tall and 45 pounds. He is a Hispanic male with brown hair and brown eyes.

If you have any information on Alex Hernandez please contact San Francisco Police at 415-553-1071.

More information at The Charley Project

Places this Episode

The Hernandez Family lived in the Crocker Amazon neighborhood in San Francisco

City of South San Francisco (Red Outline) in Bay Area, via google maps

Links: South San Francisco

How to Give a Tip to Police

Police are looking for any information into the case of Evelyn and Alex Hernandez. If you have any information please contact the San Francisco Cold Case Unit at 415-553-1450. If you wish to stay anonymous you can call the anonymous tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411. In your text please write SFPD followed by your message.

Works Cited

“Calif. Family Renews Search for Boy.” (2 May 2003). SF Gate.

Cote, John. “Few similarities between autopsy files, expert says.” (11 July 2003). The Modesto Bee.

Curtis, Kim. (24 Apr 2003). “Murder not uncommon.” The San Francisco Examiner, pg. 8. (via newspapers.com)

“Few clues to missing woman, son.” (12 June 2002). The San Francisco Examiner, pg. 6. (via newspapers.com)

Hewitt, Bill. (7 July 2003). “The ‘other’ Laci Peterson: Who Killed Evelyn Hernandez?” People Magazine.

“Police suspect foul play in disappearance of mom, son Woman’s wallet, paycheck discovered discarded near South San Francisco canal.” (11 June 2002). SF Gate.

Solis, Victor. (30 Apr 2019). “The mysterious murder of Evelyn Hernandez: 17 years later they offter $100,000 to find the person responsible.” Univision.

St. John, Kelly. (21 Apr 2003). “Eerily similar case languishes in obscurity/Torso of missing pregnant mom was found in S.F. Bay last year.” The San Francisco Chronicle.

Spotswood, Beth. (15 Mar 2019). “A Tale of Two Killings.” Alta Online.

The Charley Project on Alexis Geraldo Hernandez.

“Torso in bay is identified/DNA matches that of missing pregnant mom.” (4 Aug 2002). SF Gate.

Van Derbeken, Jaxon. (31 July 2002). “Remains may be S.F. woman who vanished/Remains may be missing pregnant woman.” SF Gate.

“Woman whose body was found in bay mourned.” (2 May 2003) SF Gate.