On June 1, 2015, the body of 36-year-old Hispanic male Anthony Paul Hernandez was discovered by a passerby in Salt Lake City, Utah. His body was found in a wooded area between the Jordan River Parkway bike trail and the river itself, near 800 North Riverside Drive. Initially, authorities deemed his death suspicious, but it was officially ruled a homicide a few days later. An autopsy revealed that Hernandez had died from a gunshot wound.
At the time of his death, Hernandez was experiencing homelessness.
The investigation into the murder of Anthony Paul Hernandez led Salt Lake City police to question 22-year-old Christian Fuentes. Fuentes was located and questioned by detectives but was subsequently released. Authorities did not disclose what, if any, information Fuentes provided or if he was still considered a person of interest in the case. Police did note that Fuentes was known to frequent the Riverside Park area.
In the days following the discovery of Hernandez's body, police reached out to the public for assistance. They were particularly interested in Hernandez's whereabouts on the Sunday before his death and in the hours leading up to the discovery of his body. Investigators also released a photo of an unidentified man who was seen getting on a Utah Transit Authority bus, stating they wished to identify and interview him in connection with the homicide. However, there have been no subsequent announcements regarding the identification of this individual or any arrests in the case. The death of Anthony Paul Hernandez remains an unsolved homicide.
