In 2010, Etan’s case was reopened and his neighbor’s basement was excavated (via Crime Museum). Although nothing was found, the search garnered media attention that paid off. According to CBS News, Police received a tip pointing to Pedro Hernandez. At the time of disappearance, Hernadez was working at a bodega near Etan’s bus stop. He reportedly told friends and family throughout the years that he had killed a boy in New York City (per All That’s Interesting). When he was questioned by police in 2015, Hernandez confessed.
Per the Crime & Investigation Network, he coaxed Etan into the bodega’s basement under the guise that he would give him a soda. Once inside, Hernandez alleged that he strangled the boy and dumped his body nearby. He was subsequently arrested, over three decades after Etan’s disappearance. The trial, however, was lengthy and complicated. The defense argued that Hernandez was mentally ill and incompetent. There was also a lack of forensic evidence. This ultimately led to a mistrial in 2015. Hernandez was retried and found guilty of Etan’s abduction and murder in February 2017.
The New York Post writes that Etan’s body has never been found. In 2019, his parents decided to permanently leave their SoHo home, 40 years after his disappearance. They had never moved or changed their phone number, just in case their son returned. In 1983, May 25 was declared as National Missing Children’s Day in honor of Etan and other abducted children.
