The teen, who celebrated his 16th birthday on Monday, is charged with the murder of Kaitlin Hernandez in March. Her body was discovered in a ditch near her home in San Antonio.
SAN ANTONIO — A judge ruled on Monday that a teen accused of killing 17-year-old Kaitlin Hernandez earlier this year will be tried as an adult in his murder trial.
Darryl Barrera, who turned 16 the same day he appeared in court, is accused of killing Hernandez in March and has been charged with capital murder. Hernandez’s body was found in a ditch near her home in northeast San Antonio.
Monday’s hearing was a “certify and transfer” proceeding, where the prosecutor requested the juvenile court to transfer jurisdiction, allowing the teen to be tried as an adult.
Family and friends of Hernandez, many of whom wore shirts with her face on them as they sat in Judge William “Cruz” Shaw’s courtroom, expressed gratitude for the ruling, though they acknowledged it does not make their pain any easier. It’s been eight months since Crystal Rodriguez’s niece, Kaitlin Hernandez, was murdered.
“How we’re feeling is numb and broken,” Rodriguez said. “Today is just day one. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
On March 12, Hernandez’s family reported to police that she had gone for a walk with the suspect, but never returned home.
Her body was found hours later in a nearby drainage ditch.
The medical examiner confirmed she died from strangulation. Initially, police stated there wasn’t enough evidence to link the teen suspect to the crime.
However, six weeks later, DNA evidence connected Barrera to the murder, leading to his arrest and charges.
Barrera will remain in custody on a $250,000 bond.
