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A man accused of killing a 54-year-old Renton woman was in court Tuesday morning.

Last May, King County prosecutors charged Louie Hernandez, 61, with first degree murder.  He pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Reyna Hernandez was reported missing in February 2024. A month later, her body was found in a cemetery in Mexico.

Louie Hernandez has been extradited from Mexico to King County to face First Degree Murder charges in the death of his estranged partner, Reyna Hernandez. Thanks to and Mexican authorities for working to bring L. Hernandez back to face trial.

— Renton Police Dept. (@RentonpdWA)

Related on MyNorthwest: Man charged in murder of Renton business owner whose body was found in Mexico

Hernandez’ disappearance

Hernandez, a Renton hairdresser and business owner, went missing in February last year after she left her home to run errands and never returned.

“She has not opened her business, which is highly unusual and she’s not answering her phone, which is out of character for Reyna,” Meeghan Black, a spokesperson with the Renton Police Department, told MyNorthwest.

The case was investigated as a possible kidnapping.

On March 8, detectives were alerted to a news article in Mexicali about an unidentified body found in a local cemetery on the Tijuana Highway. Investigators then contacted Mexican authorities and identified the body as Reyna Hernandez.

“This is the worst possible outcome, and our hearts go out to Reyna’s family and friends,” Investigations Commander Chandler Swain said, according to a press release. “We are working closely with Mexicali police and our U.S. Federal partners to determine when and where Reyna was killed.”

Hernandez was subsequently arrested after officers recovered Reyna Hernandez’s vehicle. Detectives also confirmed with ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio the murder appeared to be related to domestic violence. Prosecutors have asked for his bail to be set at $5 million.

Serving time in Mexico, Hernandez was extradited back to Washington last week.

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