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Reward offered in Baseline Road homicide
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By Jane Ernsberger
Times-Junction News Editor
Two men who were persons of interest in the murder investigation of a Baseline Road man are now wanted on warrants for stealing the victim’s vehicle.
 Huron County Sheriff Dane Howard is asking for help in finding more information on the victim, Daniel Jacinto Hernandez. Warrants have been issued for the two brothers who lived with Hernandez, Misael Lopez and Hiram Emmanuel Lopez, and Howard said he is asking if anyone has information on the brothers to contact the Huron County Sheriff’s Office at 419-663-2828.
Howard is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the subject or subjects that committed the murder of Daniel Jacinto Hernandez in rural Willard.
Deputies were called to 4012 Baseline Road Apt. 3 on June 2 at 10 p.m., and according to Howard, determined it was a very violent crime scene involving a homicide.
“It had not been determined at that time obviously,”he pointed out. “The command staff, the detective bureau and other support staff responded to the scene, along with Ohio BCI&I’s crime unit. They sent two members of that team to process the actual crime scene.
“It has been determined that it is a homicide, and it was a very violent and brutal act which had occurred at that location,”Howard said. “Yesterday (Wednesday), detectives were able to secure two warrants for two suspects that are related to this case.”
The Huron County Sheriff’s Office is being assisted by the United States Marshal Violent Fugitive Task Force office in Mansfield. Howard said the two agencies are working together to broaden search efforts since it is believed the Lopez brothers are no longer in this area.
He also reiterated the plea for assistance from anyone who might know something about the incident, the victim or the two brothers.
Misael Lopez and Hiram Emmanuel Lopez both lived with Hernandez at 4012 Baseline Road Apt. 3, according to Howard.
The vehicle they left in is a silver four-door 2004 Dodge Stratus and is owned by Hernandez. Deputies said there is a small dent above the passenger side tail light and has a flower design plate holder.
“Mr. Hernandez, the victim in this case, is from Oaxaco, Mexico,”Howard said. “We have yet to contact his family.
“At this point, we’re having difficulty locating family members, and that’s another aspect of why we’re asking for assistance,”he added. “Hopefully, someone will come forward that can help us reach his family. From what we understand, he has a wife and a child.”
Whether Hernandez and the Lopez brothers are in the United States legally has yet to be determined, according to Howard.
“Their original origin is Mexico,” he noted. “However, we believe they have some ties to other areas and states as well, Florida and possibly other states.
“We are investigating all aspects of that,”Howard pointed out. “We’ve made contact with the Border Patrol. We have alerted the border gates with vehicle information also, as well as with the suspect information.”
While in this area, the three men were farm hands at a local muck farm. The last time the two suspects were seen, Howard noted, was Friday, June 2 at their apartment in the camp.
Howard did not comment on cause of death or motive in the murder.
“We believe the facts of the investigation will lead us to motive,” he pointed out. “It’s too early to come to any conclusions.
“We do believe, though, that the time of death occurred sometime prior to the time of reporting we got on Mr. Hernandez,”Howard said.
“What we are asking the public for is to step up and assist us with any information about the victim and these two suspects,”Howard said. “We’re asking them to to the right thing for this young man and his family, and we’ve received some resistance from folks.
“There is a significant language barrier,”he pointed out, “and in many cases, people have been very cooperative. Others, they’re not. We’re asking them to step forward and assist us with that information.
“This young man was a very nice young man, a hard worker,” Howard explained. “Our research has not revealed any criminal history.”
Deputy U.S. Marshal Ross Wilbur said anyone with information can contact the Northeast Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4-WANTED or the Huron County Sheriff’s Office.
“Any information that is provided, you can remain anonymous,”?Wilbur pointed out,”although we would like to follow up if possible.
“We need more information for this investigation,” he added. “Any in formation you can call into our tip line.”
The investigation has gone nationwide, Howard pointed out.
“We have been in contact with numerous agencies in other jurisdictions, locally as well, and in other states in an effort to secure more information on the whereabouts of the two.”
Howard did not comment on any possible reasons for the murder. “We do feel in the near future we will be able to release more information.”
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