DELANO, Calif. (KERO) — The daughter of a decades-old cold case victim in Delano is still searching for justice and the truth behind her father's death.
It was nearly 30 years ago when Griselda Hernandez last saw her father, Sergio Hernandez, alive. She is now older than he was on the night he was killed and she says that someone out there has to know something.
“I handed him my jacket because it was pretty fresh and that was the last time I saw my father alive,” said Griselda.
Griselda has now spent a large portion of her life living without her father.
"It was traumatizing," said Griselda. "When we were reaching his age at 35, I always thought I was going to die during that time too. It was scary just thinking of it. It felt like it was a curse."
She says her father was a loving dad who raised her all on his own.
“He took me in with open arms," she explained. "It’s hard for men to be a single parent. He did his part.”
That’s why after all these years, she’s never given up trying to get justice for his death.
On Nov 11, 1993, Sergio was found in the early hours of 1st Avenue and High Street in Delano. He had been shot and killed.
“I got a call from my grandmother. The minute she just mentioned shooting, I knew it was my father," explained Griselda. "I rushed out there and the minute I got out there, and got off the vehicle. I saw my jacket and I saw him laying on the floor.”
Earlier that evening, Griselda had met him for dinner at the Frosty King on High Street. She said that afterward, he planned to stop by a bar on his way home.
“There were a lot of things going on in those days," said Griselda. "That night, before he left, I kept telling him to go home instead of going out. Kinda like something telling me [that] something wasn’t right. He kept saying he was going to go out.”
He never made it back that night. Griselda said despite their best efforts, police were unable to bring his killer to justice. Griselda, however, does not hold that against them.
"Detective Valdez was the one in charge at that time. He was amazing. He was so helpful. His heart was in it."
Now, nearly three decades later, she hasn’t given up hope that someone out there has the missing details that could bring her father’s case to a close."
“I don’t know how to beg somebody or ask somebody," said Griselda. "Please if you know anything, just please say something."
Anyone with information that could help solve this case is asked to contact the Delano Police Department.
