Retrial Set for Man in Notorious 1979 Etan Patz Case

Wed Nov 26 2025 02:52:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

New York prosecutors announce they will retry Pedro Hernandez for the murder and kidnapping of six-year-old Etan Patz, whose disappearance has haunted the community for decades.

After a federal appeals court overturned the conviction of Pedro Hernandez in the 1979 disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz, New York prosecutors have declared their intention to retry him. The case, which became a symbolic example of child abduction, is marked by its complexity and the contentious nature of Hernandez's previous confessions. With a June 1 deadline for trial, the path ahead will attempt to draw in witnesses and grapple with the convoluted narrative built over decades.

NEW YORK (AP) — A notorious 1979 missing-child case will go to trial a third time after New York prosecutors vowed Tuesday to retry the man whose conviction was recently overturned in the disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz.

In a case that has long been gnarled by time and uncertainty, a new set of prosecutors now must re-engage witnesses, elicit memories, and persuade another jury that Pedro Hernandez lured and killed the boy as he walked to his New York City school bus stop.

“After thorough review, the district attorney has determined that the available, admissible evidence supports prosecuting Hernandez on murder and kidnapping charges,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Sarah Marquez stated, indicating their preparedness to move forward.

The defense, however, expressed disappointment, stating, “We are deeply convinced that Mr. Hernandez is an innocent man. But we will be prepared for trial and will present an even stronger defense.”

Hernandez, now 64, worked at a nearby corner store when Etan disappeared on May 25, 1979, during what was meant to be his first solo trip to the bus stop. The case sparked a national focus on child abductions, leading to Etan's image appearing on milk cartons and the establishment of a national hotline for missing children.

Hernandez did not become a suspect until decades later when he made conflicting statements over the years about having killed a child. His eventual confession in 2012, claiming he had strangled Etan after offering him a soda, became pivotal. The confession lacked physical evidence, and his lawyers labeled it as delusional and coerced following extensive questioning by police.

The first trial in 2017 ended in a hung jury, while he was convicted in a retrial later that year and sentenced to 25 years to life. Following an appeal, a federal court ruled that his conviction was tainted by improper jury instructions regarding his confessions.

This latest ruling mandates that jury selection for Hernandez’s retrial must begin by June 1, or he must be released from prison.

Amidst the complex legal proceedings surrounding the case, the community prepares once more to face the haunting memory of Etan Patz and scrutinize the longstanding quest for justice.