Cesar Hernandez Delano Escape: Tijuana Capture and Transport Failures

Cesar Moises Hernandez, a convicted murderer serving 80 years to life, escaped from a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation transport van in Delano on December 2, 2024, while being taken to a court appearance. He crossed into Mexico, evaded capture for more than four months, and is now accused of fatally shooting a Mexican police commander during a failed arrest attempt in Tijuana. He was captured on April 17, 2025, and is being held in Mexico to face murder charges there.

How the Delano Escape Happened

At roughly 10:40 a.m. on December 2, 2024, CDCR staff were transporting Hernandez to the Kern County Superior Courthouse in Delano for a hearing on two in-custody offenses.¹² According to one report, Hernandez used a self-made key to remove his handcuffs, punched a corrections officer, and jumped out of the van.³

The escape set off an intense manhunt. Local schools were locked down. The CDCR’s Special Services Unit, the California Highway Patrol, and the Delano and McFarland police departments all joined the search, and the public was warned not to approach Hernandez.¹ He was not found. Hernandez traveled roughly 283 miles south from Delano and crossed into Tijuana.⁴ How he made it across the border, and whether anyone helped him, has not been publicly explained.

Who Cesar Hernandez Is

Hernandez was convicted of first-degree murder in Los Angeles County (case number TA146758) for the June 25, 2018 shooting death of Edgar Vasquez, whom he followed from a Lynwood bar and shot in the head after forcing his truck to pull over.⁵⁶ He entered Kern Valley State Prison on June 27, 2019.⁷

The Tijuana Shootout

On April 9, 2025, more than four months after the escape, a specialized Mexican state police unit tried to arrest Hernandez in the Colonia Barcelona neighborhood of Tijuana. The unit, part of the Baja California Citizen Security Force, is informally known as the “Cazagringos” or “Gringo Hunters.” Its job is to locate and capture American fugitives inside Mexico, since U.S. law enforcement officers cannot make arrests on Mexican soil.⁸

A shootout followed. The unit’s commander, 33-year-old Abigail Esparza Reyes, was struck and later pronounced dead at a hospital.⁹⁸ Fellow state agents later called for the removal of the commander who oversaw the operation, citing poorly executed tactics and insufficient personnel.¹⁰

Hernandez fled on foot. Surveillance footage reportedly showed him entering a covered vehicle shirtless and emerging in a stolen fluorescent green uniform resembling those of local traffic police, then walking away from the scene.¹¹⁴ The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed its personnel were in the area but said they were “not involved in the shooting incident.” U.S. authorities did provide medical aid to Esparza Reyes after she was wounded.¹²

Capture and What He Faces Now

On the night of April 17, 2025, eight days after the shootout and 137 days after the Delano escape, Hernandez was arrested east of Tijuana.¹³³¹⁴

Baja California State Attorney General María Elena Andrade Ramírez said Hernandez will be tried for murder in Mexico and that extradition to the United States “will not be considered until he faces justice for his crimes in Mexico.” A Mexican conviction carries up to 60 years in prison.¹⁵¹⁴ Hernandez is being held at the La Mesa jail in Tijuana.¹⁶

His California sentence of 80 years to life remains in effect. Legal analyst Tony Capozzi said that if Hernandez were eventually returned to the United States, he would likely face additional federal or state charges for escape and flight to avoid prosecution, though no such indictments have been publicly announced.¹⁶

What Went Wrong in Transport

The escape drew scrutiny of CDCR transport practices. The agency’s operations manual requires that handcuffs be double-locked and properly placed, that waist chains be used for long-distance transport, and that at least two agents accompany each prisoner with one seated in the rear of the vehicle.¹⁷ Which of those requirements failed has not been made public.

The Delano Police Department said it was not authorized to release details because the matter was under CDCR investigation, and the CDCR did not respond to media inquiries. The officers who had been transporting Hernandez were reassigned. As of fall 2025, it remained unclear whether the internal investigation had been completed or whether anyone had been held accountable, and no broader statewide reforms had been announced.¹⁷

1
ABC News. Prisoner Convicted of Murder Escapes Police Custody in California
2
ABC 30. Escaped Inmate Allegedly Seen Changing Disguise After Deadly Shooting of Mexican Police Commander
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KGET. Escaped Killer Cesar Hernandez Captured in Mexico
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Casemine. People v. Hernandez, Case No. B297619
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ABC News. Escaped California Inmate Wanted for Killing Mexican Police Commander
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NBC Los Angeles. Escaped LA County Inmate Delano Tijuana Shootout
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CBS News. U.S. Fugitive Mexican Police Tijuana Shooting
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KGET. Escaped Delano Inmate Cesar Hernandez Kills Mexican Officer in Tijuana
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Voice of San Diego. Border Report: Death of Baja Commander Hits Close to Home in San Diego
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CBS News. Cesar Hernandez Mexico Arrest
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NBC News. California Fugitive Accused of Killing Police Commander in Mexico
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Turn to 23. Escaped Inmate Cesar Hernandez Caught After Four Months of Being on the Run
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KVPR. Kern County Fugitive Arrested in Mexico After Allegedly Killing Police Officer
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KGET. Escaped Inmate Cesar Hernandez Won’t Be Extradited, Set to Face Justice for Homicide
16
ABC 30. Escaped Kern County Inmate Wanted for Officer’s Murder Arrested in Mexico
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ABC News 4. Inmate Escapes Raise Concerns Over Prisoner Transport Protocols in California