Do you know who killed Jonathan Hernandez in 2019?
In the spring of 2019, a burst of gunfire shattered the late afternoon calm in a Northeast Washington, D.C. neighborhood, leaving a young man's life tragically cut short. On Saturday, May 18, 2019, at approximately 5:24 p.m., Jonathan Hernandez, a 25-year-old resident of Southeast, D.C., was shot and killed in the 100 block of T Street, NE. When officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrived at the scene, they discovered Hernandez unconscious and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Another man was also found at the scene with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Hernandez, however, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
The initial investigation into the brazen daylight shooting led police to search for multiple suspects. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a white work van, possibly a Ford E-150 with a black bumper and grill and damage to the driver's side, fleeing the area after dozens of shots were fired. Authorities announced they were looking for three to four Hispanic male suspects in connection with the homicide. The Eckington Civic Association voiced concerns about the violence, publicly calling on city officials to address the situation. The Metropolitan Police Department offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Months later, a breakthrough in the case led to an arrest. On December 4, 2019, police apprehended 40-year-old John Fenner of Southeast, D.C. Fenner was subsequently charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the fatal shooting of Jonathan Hernandez. Following his arrest, Fenner was scheduled for a preliminary hearing. In a subsequent court appearance on December 17, 2019, a D.C. Superior Court judge ordered Fenner's release to home confinement with GPS monitoring.
