Pedro Hernandez was convicted of murder in the death of Etan Patz, the 6-year-old boy who disappeared in Manhattan more than four decades ago. Now, after a series of legal reversals and appeals, the Supreme Court has reinstated that conviction — bringing renewed attention to one of New York City's most haunting missing persons cases.
Background
Etan Patz vanished on May 25, 1979, while walking alone to catch his school bus just two blocks from his SoHo apartment. The first-grader had asked his parents for permission to make the short trek by himself — a request his mother, Julie Patz, would later say she wished she had refused. He was carrying a book bag and a dollar to buy a soda at a corner deli near the bus stop. When he failed to return home that afternoon, his parents called police. It marked the beginning of a case that would change how Americans thought about missing children.
For years, investigators focused on Jose Ramos, a convicted pedophile who told authorities he was "90 percent sure" he had encountered Etan in Washington Square Park and taken the boy back to his apartment. However, prosecutors could never corroborate Ramos's account, and he was never charged criminally in connection with Etan's disappearance.
The case went cold for decades before a tip led investigators to Pedro Hernandez in 2012. Police records indicated Hernandez had worked as a stock boy at the corner store near where Etan disappeared. Authorities alleged that during questioning, Hernandez confessed to choking the young boy.
The Investigation
Hernandez was arrested and charged with murder in connection with Etan's death. In 2015, a jury convicted him of second-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. But the legal battle was far from over.
In July 2025, a federal appeals court ruled that Hernandez must be granted a new trial or released, finding issues with how his statements to police had been handled during interrogation. The ruling threw the conviction into doubt, leaving open the possibility that the man convicted of killing Etan Patz might walk free after more than a decade behind bars.
Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the lower court's decision improperly disregarded evidence supporting Hernandez's conviction. On June 22, 2026, the nation's highest court reversed the appeals court ruling and reinstated Hernandez's murder conviction.
Key Takeaways
- Etan Patz was 6 years old when he disappeared on May 25, 1979, while walking to a school bus stop in Manhattan
- Pedro Hernandez worked as a stock boy at a corner store near the bus stop at the time of Etan's disappearance
- Hernandez was convicted of murder in 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole
- A federal appeals court ordered a new trial in July 2025, finding issues with police interrogation procedures
- The Supreme Court reinstated the conviction on June 22, 2026
- Etan Patz's remains have never been found
What's Next
Hernandez will remain incarcerated while his defense team considers further legal options. His attorneys could petition for a writ of certiorari seeking full Supreme Court review or pursue other avenues to challenge the conviction. Meanwhile, the Patz family — who have spent nearly five decades searching for answers about their son's fate — may finally see some sense of closure as the legal proceedings continue.
A status conference in Manhattan Criminal Court is expected within the coming weeks to address next steps following the Supreme Court's decision. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek to uphold the original sentence, while defense counsel has signaled continued objections to the methods used during their client's initial interrogation.