A violent fugitive who escaped from custody in California late last year is now being blamed for the death of a top Mexican police commander during a shootout in Tijuana. The suspect, Cesar Hernandez, 34, had been wanted in the U.S. since his dramatic escape from a courthouse transport in December 2024, Fox News reports.

Authorities in Mexico say Hernandez opened fire on police as they tried to arrest him in the border city earlier this week. During the confrontation, police commander Abigail Esparza Reyes was shot and killed. She was the head of an elite Mexican law enforcement unit nicknamed “the Gringo Hunters,” which focuses on tracking down American fugitives hiding in Mexico.

#UltimaHora 🚔 Abigail Reyes, agente de la Fuerza Estatal de Seguridad Ciudadana, perdió la vida tras resultar lesionada durante un operativo en el residencial Barcelona, donde se intentaba detener a un presunto prófugo.#Tijuana #FESC #Mexicano pic.twitter.com/UgWfyZe9Jk

— mx.elmexicano (@mxelmexicano) April 10, 2025

Marina del Pilar, the governor of Baja California, confirmed Reyes’ death in a statement shared on X.

“I deeply regret the death of State Citizen Security Force Agent Abigail Esparza Reyes, while participating in an arrest warrant enforcement operation currently underway,” she wrote.

“To the family and loved ones of Officer Abigail, we recognize your bravery and dedication in the service of your state,” Pilar added. “Our wishes for a speedy resignation are with you; Abigail’s life will be honored, and her death will not go unpunished.”

The Gringo Hunters unit was created in 2002 and has helped U.S. authorities capture suspects who try to flee across the border. Reyes led the regional team for eight years and had been part of over 400 missions.

The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed their presence in the area but said they weren’t involved in the shooting.

Con la muerte de Abigail Esparza, Tijuana vio cómo el crimen se adueñaba de la tarde. Un enfrentamiento mortal que tiene a todos preguntándose: ¿quién estaba detrás?

— Más detalles en https://t.co/EsfEMmcw1hpic.twitter.com/desDRMlmq3

— The Narco's Blog ✴ (@narcoblogger_en) April 10, 2025

“We will continue to assist our international partners with the associated investigations. Those who commit violence against law enforcement officers will be held accountable. To protect the integrity of the investigations, USMS will not offer further commentary,” the agency said in a statement.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Marshals for further details.

Back in the U.S., Hernandez has a long and violent record. He was serving a sentence of 80 years to life for first-degree murder when he escaped from custody. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Hernandez ran from a transport van on December 2, 2024, after arriving at the Kern County Superior Courthouse in Delano. At the time, he was housed at Kern Valley State Prison.

Mexican and U.S. officials are still searching for Hernandez, who remains at large