ARANSAS PASS (Kiii News) -
A fisherman from San Antonio discovered the body of a 16-year old girl near Red Fish Bay in Aransas Pass Thursday morning.
It was the body of Jenna Hernandez, a local high school student who had gone missing sometime between late Monday night and early Tuesday morning. She was reported missing to the Aransas Pass Police Department Wednesday afternoon.
The body was found behind the Fin & Feather RV Park, about 10 yards from the water in a grassy, sandy area.
"I was just fishing and walked up the line and saw a body on the path," said Jimmy Taylor, the fisherman who discovered the body. "I yelled at her several times, and no response. So I ran pretty fast back to Fin & Feather and went to the bait shop, and a nice young lady followed me, and the body was still there, and she called 911. I didn't come very close to the body at all. I knew something was wrong so I stayed away."
Family members of Hernandez were at the scene Thursday, distraught, crying and falling to the ground inconsolable.
Donna Hernandez, Jenna's aunt, said that Jenna did not have a purse with her when she left her mother's house for the last time on Monday night. She had checked some text messages and phone calls, and then told her sister that she would be back, but never returned.
"Was she with anyone? We don't know, and there's a lot of stuff we can't disclose due to an investigation with the police department right now," Donna Hernandez said; "but who would want to hurt this beautiful girl right here?"
Police said there was blood at the scene, and noticeable injuries to the body. The man that found her said she was wearing clothes. Police do not believe that this homicide has any relation to the murder in Portland that happened over the weekend, and they also do not believe this was done by a stranger.
Aransas Pass Police Chief Eric Blanchard said he believes Hernandez knew her attacker, and that she was targeted. He also said that police had made previous contact with Hernandez.
Police have interviewed several subjects and have received several tips, but if you have any information please call the Tri-County Crimestoppers at 361-758-8477.
