WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The family of Sierra Hernandez has been released from jail, finally freed to focus on mourning the loss of their loved one. Sierra Hernandez, 20, went missing on Jan. 14, prompting her father, brother, and three other relatives to launch a desperate search. Tragically, their search effort ended in their unexpected arrest, with all five family members being charged with armed burglary and tampering with evidence on Jan. 18.
Described as “a desperate family looking for their daughter, sister, and loved one,” the Hernandez family’s ordeal took a heartbreaking turn. However, after a months-long manhunt, the suspect, 26-year-old Enrique Martinez, was taken into custody near State Road 540 and Cooley Road in the Eagle Lake area on Tuesday. Martinez was not just wanted in connection to the murder of Sierra Hernandez; he was also accused of killing Edil Fernando Rodriguez Jr. back on Nov. 8.
The announcement of Martinez’s arrest brought a sense of relief to both the Hernandez and Rodriguez families following months of anguish. “We’re very thankful today that they got Enrique because that’s another chapter to the story that has now closed,” said Trey Stokes, Hernandez’s cousin. Meanwhile, Melissa Rodriguez, the sister of Edil, expressed mixed emotions, saying, “I feel a little bit at peace knowing that he’s not out there to hurt anybody else and my brother is finally going to get the justice he deserves, but I’m also angry.”
The details surrounding Sierra Hernandez’s murder have sent shockwaves through the Winter Haven community. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd revealed that detectives had found Sierra’s body and confirmed that she had been murdered by Martinez. This development marked a significant step towards closure for the grieving family, allowing them to begin the process of healing and moving forward.