The 68-year-old victim was found stabbed to death in his Logan Heights home on Nov. 10, 1976, the Evening Tribune reported at the time. His residence at 1933 Harrison Avenue had been ransacked, San Diego police said.
For nearly 50 years, Leo Marquina’s killing went unsolved.
But on Thursday, following a t investigation by the San Diego Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office cold case unit, a suspect was arrested in connection with the slaying.
Mitchell Hernandez, 73, of Chula Vista was arraigned Monday in San Diego Superior Court on suspicion of murder. He pleaded not guilty and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in prison if convicted.
“This case was solved because our investigators, working hand in hand with the District Attorney’s Office, never gave up and continued to look for new leads and ways to utilize advancements in the forensic science field to bring justice for Mr. Marquina’s family,” San Diego police Lt. Jonathan Dugan said in a statement.
The case was reopened in 2022 after going cold. Dugan declined to release additional information regarding how Hernandez was identified as a suspect.
According to the Evening Tribune, neighbors had not seen Marquina for several days and became suspicious before notifying police. Officers forced their way into the home.
The San Diego Union reported that Marquina worked part-time as a salesman and lived alone, according to neighbors.
