Jersey City, NJ – Authorities have charged Cesar Santana, 36, with first-degree murder following the discovery of his estranged wife’s body buried in a shallow grave earlier this month. The victim, Luz Hernandez, a 33-year-old kindergarten teacher, was found deceased just three miles from her residence on February 7.
In addition to murder, Santana faces charges of hindering an investigation and tampering with evidence, including the improper disposal of human remains, detailed Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez. Santana was apprehended at a motel in Miami on February 10, initially detained under charges related to desecrating and concealing human remains. Following his extradition to New Jersey on Tuesday, he is now held at the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his initial court appearance.
A second individual implicated in the case, Leiner Miranda Lopez, 26, is still at large. Lopez is also facing charges for his role in concealing and desecrating human remains. The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office continues to solicit information from the public regarding his whereabouts.
An investigative breakthrough occurred following a traffic stop involving Santana and Lopez just a day before Hernandez was reported missing by her colleagues at BelovED Community Charter School. The stop was conducted close to where Hernandez’s body was found later. Authorities impounded an unregistered vehicle linked to the suspects, and a subsequent search of it yielded pivotal evidence. However, specific details of the findings have not been disclosed publicly.
At her funeral held on February 15, the community and her loved ones gathered to mourn and honor Hernandez. Her role as an educator at the charter school and her duties as a mother were deeply emphasized. Although not publicly confirmed by officials, friends and associates identified Santana as Hernandez’s estranged husband and the father of their three children.
The tragic loss of Hernandez has left a palpable void in the community as evidenced by the profound tribute and expressions of grief that followed. Bret Schundler, the founder of BelovED Community Charter School, remarked on the indelible mark Hernandez left on her students and fellow staff members. With her untimely death, the community and her family continue to seek justice and comprehend this formidable tragedy, as the manhunt for Lopez and the legal proceedings against Santana continue.