Abigail Gasca-Chavez, a 19-year-old resident of Greenfield, California, was tragically murdered on March 29, 2016. Abigail was a loving mother of two young children, a four-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. Known for her kindhearted and generous nature, she worked hard to provide for her children. On the day of her death, Abigail's sudden disappearance alarmed her loved ones.
When she failed to respond to calls and messages, a neighbor found her two-year-old son crying in the backyard, prompting a welfare check by her sister, Aime. Upon entering the house, Aime discovered Abigail's lifeless body in a pool of blood, and first responders later confirmed her death.
The investigation revealed that Abigail had been shot multiple times at close range, indicating an execution-style killing. The police initially struggled to find leads, but CCTV footage from a nearby camera provided crucial evidence. The footage showed a black car following Abigail on the morning of her murder and cornering her near her home. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Ernesto Hernandez, was seen confronting Abigail before driving away. Hernandez, who was the father of Abigail's son, entered her home through an unlocked door and waited for her return. When Abigail and her son arrived, Hernandez shot her seven times in the head and face.
Hernandez fled the scene and left Monterey County, driving to Los Angeles where he abandoned his car and bought a one-way ticket to McAllen, Texas. From there, he crossed into Mexico. The Greenfield Police Department, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force collaborated to track him down. Hernandez was eventually arrested and deported back to the United States.
In court, Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The case was widely covered in the media, highlighting the brutal nature of the crime and the swift justice served. Abigail's murder left the community of Greenfield in shock and mourning, as they remembered her as a devoted mother and a kind individual whose life was tragically cut short.
