Prosecutors plan to retry Eitan Patz case

• Federal prosecutors are once again bringing the case of Eitan Patz before the court.
• The federal court overturned the previous verdict due to judicial errors.
• The case hinged on the suspicions regarding the safety of children.

In New York, prosecutors announced their intention to retry Pedro Hernandez, who was previously found guilty in the 1979 abduction and murder of six-year-old Eitan Patz. This decision came after the federal appeals court overturned his previous verdict in July 2025. The court stated that Hernandez may receive a new trial or be released from custody.

Hernandez, who is now 64 years old, was convicted in 2017 for the kidnapping and murder of Eitan, whose disappearance sparked a three-decade-long search by parents not only in New York City but throughout the country. In 2012, Hernandez confessed to the police that he lured the boy into a basement store, where, according to his words, he killed him.

Prosecutors stated that they have sufficient evidence for the retrial of Hernandez on charges of murder and kidnapping. They plan to begin selecting jurors by June 1, 2025, otherwise Hernandez will be released.

The Eitan Patz case has become emblematic, drawing attention to the issues of missing children in the USA. Eitan's parents have actively advocated for the creation of a national hotline to assist in the search for missing children.

Tags: USA/Crime