Etan Patz case: 1979 disappearance of NYC boy continues to haunt investigators

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Case update: On July 21, 2025, a national appeals tribunal ruled that Pedro Hernandez indispensable person a caller proceedings oregon beryllium released. On June 22, 2026, the Supreme Court reinstated Hernandez's execution conviction.

This communicative primitively aired connected April 14, 2018.

Etan Patz walked retired of his New York City location headed for a schoolhouse autobus halt conscionable 2 blocks away. The 6-year-old ne'er made it to schoolhouse that time successful 1979 – and he's ne'er been found.

His disappearance is simply a communicative that shocked New York City and to this time haunts instrumentality enforcement investigators who person spent decades trying to find him. The disappearance of the young lad is much than a missing person's case. Indeed, it changed the mode parents watched implicit their kids.

"I deliberation this was 1 of the astir important unsolved cases successful the past of New York City," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. archer "48 Hours" analogous Richard Schlesinger.

"Every missing kid lawsuit is precise important, but this was 1 of the oldest ones we had," says NYPD Lieutenant Chris Zimmerman.

Etan Patz disappeared astatine a clip agelong earlier societal media and each storefront had a video camera. He had asked his parents to fto him bash the abbreviated locomotion to the autobus halt unsocial for the archetypal time. He had a dollar to bargain a soda astatine a country deli. His parents were unaware helium was missing until helium didn't instrumentality location aft school. Since then, Patz's smiling representation utilized connected missing person's fliers is seared into the minds of radical astir the country.

"That photograph volition ever haunt me. And each azygous time that I sent my lad retired to school, I thought of Etan Patz," says lawyer Brian O'Dwyer. "And I was 1 of 8 cardinal New Yorkers similar that."

Police began searching for Patz by going doorway to door. Over the years, the lawsuit would turn cold. But determination was 1 vicinity antheral constabulary suspected of being a pedophile, whom they had their oculus connected astir from the beginning: Jose Ramos. Ramos, according to instrumentality enforcement, had said helium took a kid backmost to his flat and molested him. Ramos told them helium was 90 percent definite it was Patz. The lawsuit against Ramos, however, lacked corroboration, and ne'er moved forward, says Vance.

Vance vowed to instrumentality a caller look astatine Etan's disappearance erstwhile helium took bureau successful 2010. "I was connected the hunt for the Patz household to find the killer," helium says.

Then successful 2012, the NYPD got a extremity from a comparative of Pedro Hernandez, saying Hernandez had talked astir hurting a lad astir the clip Patz disappeared. During questioning by police, Hernandez told them helium choked a boy. He aboriginal took them to locations adjacent the Patz home. Was Hernandez telling the truth?

"The facts of that confession marque nary sense," says Hernandez's lawyer Harvey Fishbein. "He's unreliable due to the fact that of his psychiatric condition."

What happened to Etan Patz?

THE SEARCH FOR ETAN

After much than 30 years, it took a caller squad of investigators and a caller authoritative to respire caller beingness into an aged lawsuit – trying to find retired what happened to Etan Patz.

District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.: You truly should ne'er adjacent the publication connected a lawsuit if you deliberation there's the anticipation that it tin beryllium solved.

In 2012, investigators were virtually digging for clues conscionable blocks distant from wherever Etan was past seen. After thousands of dead-end leads, the nationalist held its corporate enactment hoping, this time, the lawsuit mightiness yet beryllium solved.

Etan Patz was conscionable 6 years old, and similar galore kids that age, helium wanted immoderate independence. It was 1979, the past time of schoolhouse earlier the Memorial Day weekend, and Etan's mother, Julie, yet agreed to fto Etan locomotion unsocial to the schoolhouse autobus stop. It was conscionable 2 blocks distant from their Manhattan apartment.

Julie Patz | Etan's parent [1980]: Yes, I privation I hadn't fto him spell to the autobus halt that greeting alone. …My feelings that greeting were precise affirmative astir his going.

Etan was carrying a publication container and a dollar to bargain a soda astatine a country store adjacent the autobus halt – and then, helium seemed to vanish.

Julie and her hubby Stan didn't recognize their lad was missing until that day erstwhile helium didn't travel location from school. Julie called the schoolhouse and learned Etan ne'er arrived and his friends ne'er saw him astatine the autobus stop. So she called the police.

Patrick Eanniello | Former NYPD detective: I didn't wanna commencement with thing atrocious happened to him … I would alternatively commencement successful my mind, successful my heart, that it was conscionable a missing person.

Former NYPD Det. Patrick Eanniello instantly headed to the Patz's home.

Patrick Eanniello: And past we started to -- sound connected doors. "Anyone spot this boy?" … We worked each that day, we worked each that night. And past the pursuing time I got home. And – I -- I was acceptable to interruption down myself.

Richard Schlesinger: Because?

Patrick Eanniello: Because I -- I saw my son.

Richard Schlesinger: And helium was Etan's age?

Patrick Eanniello [emotional]: Uh-huh, yeah.

A bid halfway was acceptable up successful the Patz's apartment.

Stan Patz|Etan's father [1979]: Both my woman and I proceed to beryllium assured that helium is live and we anticipation he's being cared for by idiosyncratic who mightiness privation a kid arsenic adorable arsenic he.

Julie Patz [1980]: The constabulary did not cognize us. We had to beryllium cleared of suspicion arsenic good arsenic galore different people.

Etan's representation was splashed connected storefronts and successful newspapers. Etan's begetter is simply a nonrecreational lensman and took galore photos of his son. The pictures captured the public's heart—and captured Etan's spirit.

Julie Patz [1980]: He's conscionable bubbling implicit with beingness and … He ever saw the affirmative broadside erstwhile different radical saw negative. He is conscionable an unthinkable person.

Stan Patz [1980]: Our 6-year-old boy's a loving, trusting child. …We deliberation an big could person convinced him to travel with him.

The constabulary canvassed the neighborhood, talking to radical connected the thoroughfare and interviewing workers astatine a country store adjacent the schoolhouse autobus stop.

Det. Bill Butler [1980]: The longer we've gone without immoderate atrocious news, I deliberation that's good.

Detective Bill Butler was Eanniello's partner.

Det. Bill Butler [1980]: We person leads, but we don't cognize wherever we're gonna extremity up connected the leads that we person now.

Det. Bill Butler [1980]: When you spell this agelong connected thing similar this, you do, you consciousness similar you're looking for your ain son.

The hunt for Etan dragged on. Detective Butler, a begetter with six children, lived and breathed the case.

Richard Schlesinger: How did this lawsuit power Bill Butler?

Patrick Eanniello: More than I could imagine. He was very, precise tied into the case.

In 1986, Bill Butler took his ain life. There was speculation Butler's vexation with this lawsuit whitethorn person been portion of the crushed why.

The hunt went connected without Butler. Julie and Stan had 2 different children to protect: Etan's older sister and younger brother.

Julie Patz [1980]: We support saying we effort to pb mean lives, but successful truthful galore tiny ways, it's conscionable wholly impossible, I mean we person his belongings each implicit the location … And yet to enactment them distant is saying to america and our children he's gone and not coming back.

Stan Patz [1980]: And if we are diligent we'll get him back.

But their patience went unrewarded.

The Patz's did everything they could to support their communicative successful the news. And that helped different missing children.

In the 1980s, beverage cartons showed Etan's face, and then, those of others. But Etan remained among the missing.

By 1998, a caller detective was heading the Missing Persons Squad. Phil Mahony was drawn to the lawsuit by, of each things, a poem titled "The Missing Boy" by Sharon Olds -- astir a parent and lad looking astatine Etan's missing poster.

Phil Mahony: And -- I work that poem and I said, [snaps fingers] "That's it. …I wanna enactment connected the Etan Patz case.

Phil Mahony: It was beauteous overmuch inactive and had been inactive for galore years.

Richard Schlesinger: It was cold?

Phil Mahony: It was colder than acold … we had to find the reports and enactment them backmost together.

Mahony sorted done astir 2 decades worthy of work -- and immoderate bizarre tips.

Phil Mahony: This extremity astir this cult successful Westchester.

Richard Schlesinger: Did that root accidental that Etan was -- there, astatine that cult?

Phil Mahony: Yeah, that Etan was killed by that cult and dumped.

The leads led nowhere. But, determination was idiosyncratic who constabulary were precise funny in: Jose Ramos, the antheral who said helium whitethorn person encountered a lad successful Washington Square Park, not acold from wherever the Patz's lived.

Richard Schlesinger: Did helium accidental it was Etan Patz?

Phil Mahony He has said helium was 90 percent definite it was Etan Patz.

A PERSON OF INTEREST?

In 1982, Jose Ramos was picked up by constabulary for stealing immoderate books from children. He was homeless, surviving successful a drainage passageway successful New York City. Former Lieutenant Phil Mahony recalls Ramos had immoderate disturbing photos.

Phil Mahony: He had a clump of -- photos … of kids that looked similar Etan Patz. …He was -- a shady quality truthful helium enjoyed lookin' astatine these photos.

So Ramos was questioned by investigators astir the photos:

ASSISTANT D.A. FRANK CARROLL [evidence tape]: Did you ever perceive of a kid named Etan Patz?

JOSE RAMOS: Yeah, that was successful the papers successful '79.

ADA FRANK CARROLL: What is astir … that radical accidental looks similar Etan?

JOSE RAMOS: The smile, I think.

ADA FRANK CARROLL: How astir the hair?

JOSE RAMOS: Maybe the hair. Not that much…

JOSE RAMOS: Susan utilized to instrumentality attraction of him, Susan Harrington.

Susan Harrington, Ramos's girlfriend, walked Etan to schoolhouse during a autobus onslaught soon earlier Etan disappeared.

ADA FRANK CARROLL: Did you cognize wherever helium lived?

JOSE RAMOS: In SoHo. Well, it was successful the papers.

Investigators suspected Ramos was a pedophile who could person ties to Etan.

Phil Mahony: There was capable there, determination was a batch determination to gully attraction to him certainly.

Etan often played successful Washington Square Park -- a spot Ramos was known to visit.

Phil Mahony: Jose Ramos … has said respective times that connected May 25, 1979 … helium was present … erstwhile a young, small, sevenish … blond kid came up to him and started talkin' to him. And Jose Ramos said astatine that constituent helium yet took the kid backmost to his apartment.

Ramos told that communicative to Federal Prosecutor Stuart GraBois, who had been moving the lawsuit since 1985. GraBois and the FBI had, done the years, tracked leads astir the world. But they ever came backmost to Ramos.

Stuart GraBois: In June 1988, Ramos was brought to my bureau … and proceeded to authorities … that helium was 90 percent definite that the young lad helium took that day, May 25,1979, was the aforesaid lad whose representation helium saw some successful the paper and connected television -- that being Etan Patz.

Investigators learned Ramos had sexually molested children astir the country.

Stuart GraBois: One of the things helium did is question astir the United States successful a converted schoolhouse bus, giving retired Matchbox cars and toys and shot cards to children -- to young boys to entice them onto the bus.

GraBois wanted to prosecute Ramos adjacent if it wasn't for the Etan Patz case. He succeeded successful Pennsylvania. In 1990, Ramos pleaded blameworthy to molesting an 8-year aged lad and was sentenced to 10 to 20 years successful prison.

Richard Schlesinger: You've got a known pedophile who says helium was 90 percent definite helium picked up Etan Patz, you know-- astir the clip helium disappeared. Why didn't you conscionable go," OK, lawsuit closed"?

Phil Mahony: Because we didn't person that corroborated grounds -- didn't person that 1 idiosyncratic who said, "Yeah, I saw him and Etan successful Washington Square Park."

Investigators hunted for much evidence. In 2000, Mahony ordered a hunt of an flat gathering Ramos lived successful erstwhile Etan disappeared. Ramos had allegedly told a chap inmate this is wherever helium disposed of Etan's body.

Phil Mahony: When helium was successful jail, Jose Ramos said … that helium enactment Etan into the furnace successful the basement.

Richard Schlesinger: Of this building?

Phil Mahony: Of this building, and you know, burned up the body.

But similar truthful galore tips successful the Etan Patz case, thing came of it.

Phil Mahony: …there was conscionable ne'er that adjacent happening to marque you say, "Yup, that's it. Close the books, we got the guy."

Mahony felt they didn't person capable connected Ramos to complaint him with Etan's disappearance. Neither did the Manhattan D.A. astatine the time. But Stan Patz and Stuart GraBois were becoming much convinced Ramos was their man.

Stan Patz [2000]: I judge this antheral stalked my son. I judge helium lured him backmost to his apartment. I deliberation helium utilized him similar toilet insubstantial and I deliberation helium threw him distant [emotional].

Brian O'Dwyer is simply a salient N.Y. lawyer and started representing the Patz's. He was friends with Stuart GraBois, and successful 2000 helium approached GraBois with an idea.

Brian O'Dwyer: And I said, you know, you person an accidental -- you whitethorn not person … thought astir it, but of taking a civilian lawsuit against Ramos.

It would beryllium a wrongful decease suit. O'Dwyer hoped Ramos would beryllium subpoenaed and mightiness accidental thing incriminating to assistance bring a transgression case. But earlier the wrongful decease lawsuit could proceed, O'Dwyer had to inquire the Patz's to officially springiness up hope. They would person to inquire a tribunal to state their lad dead.

Brian O'Dwyer: It's 1 of the toughest things I've ever done successful my practice.

And, connected June 19, 2001, a justice declared that Etan Patz was officially dead.

Stan Patz [2000]: I utilized to person fantasies of a taxi cab -- pulling up successful front, and Etan coming retired of it. But -- that was a agelong clip ago. I don't entertain those fantasies immoderate more.

The Patz's lawyer went to the Pennsylvania situation wherever Ramos was being held to interrogation the antheral helium believed had killed Etan Patz.

Brian O'Dwyer: This was evil incarnate. …If I had met him connected the thoroughfare I would person been precise scared.

Richard Schlesinger: And what did helium say?

Brian O'Dwyer: He said that yes, indeed, helium was connected the thoroughfare that day. And helium picked up a small lad by the sanction of Jimmy.

This time, Ramos did not accidental Etan's name.

Richard Schlesinger: Were you convinced that Ramos was the guy?

Brian O'Dwyer: Absolutely.

Ramos would ne'er reply much questions oregon attest successful court, and the Patz's won the civilian lawsuit against him.

Brian O'Dwyer [to reporters successful 2001]: Once and for each we person a last declaration by a tribunal of instrumentality that Jose Antonio Ramos caused the decease of Etan Patz.

It was a victory, but it was not the extremity of the fight.

Brian O'Dwyer: The eventual nonsubjective was to get a transgression prosecution

Richard Schlesinger: Did you deliberation it was capable to prosecute him criminally?

Brian O'Dwyer: I did.

The Manhattan D.A. disagreed. He inactive would not complaint Jose Ramos.

Brian O'Dwyer: He thought helium couldn't beryllium it beyond a tenable doubt.

Richard Schlesinger: Do you support reasoning astir this case, oregon did you determination on?

Brian O'Dwyer: No, I ne'er moved on. Never moved connected --

Richard Schlesinger: Really?

Brian O'Dwyer: No. Jose Antonio Ramos was successful prison, unpunished, for what I believed was the decease of Etan Patz.

But 33 years aft Etan disappeared determination was a extremity -- and it could alteration everything successful this case.

A TURNING POINT

Stan Patz [2000]: I – [sighs, emotional] I deliberation astir my lad each day. He's -- gone, but I volition ne'er hide him.

As clip passed for Stan and Julie Patz, Etan was, and is, frozen successful clip arsenic a 6-year-old gone missing. They remained convinced that Jose Ramos, the pedophile who was down bars successful Pennsylvania, was liable for Etan's death.

Stan Patz [2000]: I nonstop him a -- poster doubly a year. …and I constitute connected the back, "What did you bash to my small boy?"

From the clip Etan disappeared successful 1979 until 2009, 1 antheral held the presumption of Manhattan District Attorney: Robert Morgenthau. He ne'er felt determination was capable grounds to indict Ramos. But Morgenthau was retiring, and Cyrus Vance Jr. was moving for the office.

Cyrus Vance Jr.: The Patz household reached retired to me. …And Stan … asked maine if I would -- look into the case.

And erstwhile Vance became Manhattan D.A. successful 2010, helium did look into it.

Lt. Chris Zimmerman: Cy Vance was like, "Listen, we'd similar to re -- you know, caller acceptable of eyes, relook astatine it, spell backwards, spot what was missed."

Lt. Chris Zimmerman headed the Missing Persons Squad astatine the time, and portion of the caller look included different look astatine Jose Ramos.

D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr.: We looked astatine the lawsuit for rather a portion and I ne'er was convinced … that determination was impervious beyond a tenable uncertainty that Jose Ramos was Etan's killer.

And truthful the hunt for different fishy continued.

The FBI had been progressive connected and disconnected since Etan's disappearance. In April 2012, investigators took different look astatine a handyman who utilized to enactment for the Patz's. Along with the NYPD, they started that dig. It was astatine the erstwhile tract of the handyman's workshop.

FBI Agent [to reporters]: We're executing a hunt warrant regarding the disappearance of Etan Patz.

It was not acold from wherever the Patz's inactive lived.

The excavation went connected for 5 days, arsenic investigators sifted done subterranean spaces and decades-old dirt. It was starting to look similar determination mightiness yet beryllium immoderate answers. In the end, thing was found. The handyman was cleared. But this was not conscionable different dormant extremity – it was far from it. In fact, it led to the archetypal large turning constituent successful this case.

Det. Dave Ramirez: The telephone comes into our office, onto the telephone close adjacent to my desk.

It came from Jose Lopez, who called constabulary aft helium watched quality sum of the dig. He said his brother-in-law mightiness beryllium progressive successful the case.

Detective Dave Ramirez helped pb the investigation.

Richard Schlesinger: Who was his brother-in-law?

Det. Dave Ramirez: Pedro Hernandez.

Richard Schlesinger: Had you ever heard the sanction Pedro Hernandez before?

Det. Dave Ramirez: No, sir, no.

Richard Schlesinger: What did helium archer you astir his brother-in-law?

Det. Dave Ramirez: That helium had made -- statements to assorted radical astir him having done thing truly atrocious to a kid successful New York.

Pedro Hernandez worked arsenic a banal lad astatine that country store by the autobus stop. He was 18 erstwhile Etan disappeared. And soon after, Hernandez near that occupation and moved location to New Jersey. Over the years, helium had been divorced, remarried and had children. He worked connected and disconnected astatine menial jobs and had nary transgression record. But helium had told radical astir hurting an unnamed child.

Richard Schlesinger: So who had Hernandez spoken to?

Det. Dave Ramirez: There was a spiritual group, seemingly determination was a retreat that they had gone connected … they each had – accusation … to the information that Mr. Hernandez did thing to this child.

Ramirez learned Hernandez besides told his ex-wife and a friend, akin stories. Detective's notes from 1979 amusement constabulary astatine the clip knew Hernandez worked astatine the store, but it is unclear if helium was ever questioned.

Richard Schlesinger: Why bash you accidental helium was not a fishy before?

Lt. Chris Zimmerman: I don't person the reply for it. I wasn't there. You know, I -- I ne'er got clarity connected that and I don't deliberation helium did either.

About 2 weeks aft they learned astir Hernandez, connected May 23, 2012, constabulary went to his New Jersey location to speech to him.

Det. Dave Ramirez: I had -- told him that we were investigating an aged … missing persons lawsuit … successful New York City. …At that point, helium like, helium mislaid each the colour successful his face.

Still, Hernandez readily agreed to spell to the prosecutor's bureau successful Camden, N.J. to beryllium questioned.

Richard Schlesinger: Was it hard to get him talking?

Det. Dave Ramirez: No, no.

He talked for six hours without a lawyer oregon a signaling of the conversation. During that time, helium was shown a missing poster of Etan Patz. Later, the video camera was turned connected and Hernandez told them astir seeing a lad extracurricular the store wherever helium worked:

INVESTIGATOR: Can you commencement telling america again precisely what you conscionable told america before, astir what happened.

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: He was waiting for the schoolhouse bus.

INVESTIGATOR: Who was waiting for the schoolhouse bus?

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: The kid.

INVESTIGATOR: What's his name?

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: Etan Patz.

These are the words that changed the people of 1 of America's astir heartbreaking acold cases. Hernandez went on, telling constabulary helium offered Etan a soda:

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: And past I inquire him -- I inquire him to spell to the, successful the basement with maine to get the soda.

It is hard to perceive to his story:

SECOND INVESTIGATOR: And past what happened aft that?

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: And past I choke him … Yeah, erstwhile I choked him helium went similar this [puts his hands to his throat, past goes limp and drops his arms to his side].

INVESTIGATOR: What made you bash this?

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: I don't know.

INVESTIGATOR: You don't know?

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: …It was thing that it conscionable happened.

He signs Etan's missing poster, writing: "I americium atrocious … and "choke him"

INVESTIGATOR: And you admit this to beryllium the lad that you choked that day?

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: Yes.

After the confession, Hernandez showed investigators wherever helium said it happened 33 years earlier. Lt. Zimmerman recorded the locomotion with his cellphone:

Richard Schlesinger: So Hernandez told you present that this was the basement entrance…

Det. Dave Ramirez: Yes.

Richard Schlesinger: So according to Hernandez, Etan was … that mode from wherever we are.

Det. Dave Ramirez: Yes.

Richard Schlesinger: And helium lured him successful -- into the basement done this door.

Det. Dave Ramirez: Yes, sir.

Hernandez said helium enactment him successful a container aft choking him.

Det. Dave Ramirez: Put him successful a box.

Richard Schlesinger: And past enactment the container connected his shoulder.

Det. Dave Ramirez: Carry the container up retired present … At this point, I said "could you amusement america precisely the mode you walked that day?" We crossed the thoroughfare to the different side.

Richard Schlesinger: And however acold down did helium go?

Det. Dave Ramirez: And past helium went down to the corner.

Investigators revisit SoHo vicinity wherever Pedro Hernandez said helium killed Etan Patz 02:40

Hernandez showed them wherever helium says helium disposed of a container with Etan's body.

Police judge the container was picked up by garbage collectors. Hernandez was interviewed again hours aft the SoHo walk, this clip by a authoritative successful the Manhattan D.A.'s office:

Pedro Hernandez: "Something conscionable took implicit me" 01:58

PEDRO HERNANDEZ [to Asst. DA]: Then I choked him. And I tried to fto go, but I conscionable couldn't fto him go.

He repeated the aforesaid story. And aboriginal that day, Pedro Hernandez was arrested.

Then-NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg [to reporters]: We person a fishy successful custody who has made a connection to the NYPD, implicating himself successful the disappearance of Etan Patz, 33 years ago.

Cyrus Vance Jr: He had confessed to sidesplitting Etan Patz. It was a credible confession.

So says the prosecutor. But soon, questions were being asked astir the six hours erstwhile Hernandez was questioned earlier the videotaping began.

Richard Schlesinger [to Vance]: Why weren't those archetypal hours videotaped?

UNDER ARREST

Lt. Chris Zimmerman: It was a time oregon 2 shy of the 33rd anniversary. It was a time oregon 2 shy that we made the arrest.

Then-NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly [to reporters]: This evening the NYC constabulary section is announcing the apprehension of Pedro Hernandez…

Lt. Chris Zimmerman [to reporters]: Mr. Patz was taken aback, a small amazed and I would say overwhelmed.

Lt. Chris Zimmerman: You know, it had to descend in. You know, 30-something years, it had to descend in. …I can't ideate not having an reply for that galore years.

For decades, Stan and Julie Patz believed different antheral was liable for their son's disappearance successful 1979.

Stan Patz [2000]: I judge this antheral stalked my son. …And I privation him to admit it [emotional].

Now, idiosyncratic was admitting it. But it was Pedro Hernandez.

PEDRO HERNANDEZ [to investigators]: He was waiting for the schoolhouse bus. …then helium went down the steps … erstwhile I choked him [puts his hands to his throat] helium went similar this [goes limp and drops arms to his side].

After Hernandez was arrested, helium was thought to beryllium a termination hazard and taken to Bellevue Hospital.

Harvey Fishbein | Attorney: I met him astatine the … situation ward.

Harvey Fishbein is Pedro Hernandez's court-appointed attorney.

Harvey Fishbein: …and I walked retired of determination and I said, "The antheral has an contented that needs to beryllium addressed."

PEDRO HERNANDEZ [psychiatric exam video]: I perceive voices sometimes, talking to me.

A defence psychiatrist diagnosed Hernandez with a property upset that tin permission a idiosyncratic incapable to differentiate betwixt what's existent and what's not.

PEDRO HERNANDEZ [psychiatric exam video]: I had, uh, visions.

Richard Schlesinger: Do you deliberation Pedro Hernandez knows if helium killed Etan Patz oregon not?

Harvey Fishbein: I – I deliberation helium knows helium didn't. And that's the-

Richard Schlesinger: You think? Are you sure?

Harvey Fishbein: It's hard to look into someone's mind, which is 1 of the existent problems we person here.

The diagnosis of intelligence unwellness would beryllium a large portion of Hernandez's defense. In January 2015, two- and-a-half years aft his arrest, Hernandez went connected proceedings for the execution of Etan Patz.

NEWS REPORT: Etan Patz's begetter walked silently past reporters successful the courthouse ... yet hoping to spot justness served astir 36 years aft his young son's disappearance.

At trial, the defence would reason that Hernandez's intelligence unwellness made him marque up the full communicative of murdering Etan, starting with seeing him by the autobus stop.

PEDRO HERNANDEZ [to investigators]: He was waiting for the schoolhouse bus.

Harvey Fishbein: Pedro says, "I saw him lasting there."

Harvey Fishbein: Yet, nary genitor that was astatine the autobus halt that greeting who knew Etan, saw Etan that morning. …So the information that Pedro said that helium saw the kid determination erstwhile nary 1 other did instantly raises questions arsenic to did this really hap oregon not?

Hernandez told investigators helium tried to fell Etan's publication container successful the store's basement.

PEDRO HERNANDEZ [to ADA] So I took the publication container and I threw it down the freezer.

But Fishbein says the constabulary would person searched that store and, if they did, should person recovered the container oregon immoderate different evidence.

Harvey Fishbein: That container was ne'er recovered.

The defence besides argued that Hernandez has a debased IQ and is susceptible to suggestions.

Harvey Fishbein: We -- argued to the assemblage that … He's unreliable due to the fact that of his debased intellect. …because of his psychiatric condition. And … 'cause the communicative successful the extremity does not marque sense.

But the prosecution experts interviewed Hernandez and concluded helium is not mentally ill, and that the assemblage could judge his words.

Prosecutors had location videos showing Hernandez socializing similar anyone else. And they pointed retired that Hernandez ne'er reported immoderate intelligence unwellness connected a driver's licence renewal signifier helium filled out.

Richard Schlesinger: Do you judge that helium was competent to confess?

D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr.: Absolutely. …I deliberation determination was ample grounds that Pedro Hernandez was not – fabricating – this -- homicide arsenic the merchandise of intelligence illness, but that helium successful information was -- admitting to thing that had tortured him … and helium confessed.

But Fishbein wants the assemblage to wonderment what happened during those six hours before the videotaping began.

INVESTIGATOR [to Hernandez]: Can you commencement telling america again precisely what you conscionable told america before, astir what happened?

Harvey Fishbein: There was an affirmative determination not to videotape what was going on. All it would've taken was the pushing of a button.

Richard Schlesinger: Why wasn't that taped?

D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr.: I deliberation it was not taped, due to the fact that … determination was nary ineligible request that it beryllium taped.

Richard Schlesinger: How bash you cognize that they didn't provender him information? How bash you cognize they didn't berate him?

D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr.: The mode you guarantee yourself is by talking to the witnesses who were there. … aft speaking to those who were contiguous and being informed of what happened, I did not uncertainty that determination was thing but a just handling of Mr. Hernandez and due questioning of him.

Richard Schlesinger: Did you springiness him immoderate accusation astir the transgression erstwhile you were talking to Mr. Hernandez?

Det. Dave Ramirez: No.

Richard Schlesinger: Did you effort and power him?

Det. Dave Ramirez: I wouldn't say. No.

Richard Schlesinger: This was each him conscionable talking to you, volunteering this stuff?

Det. Dave Ramirez: Yes.

The defence argued constabulary preyed connected Hernandez's vulnerability and manipulated him to confess.

Harvey Fishbein: Pedro is simply a precise spiritual idiosyncratic … One of the detectives … says, "Thank you, Pedro."

INVESTIGATOR [to Hernandez]: I can't statesman to archer you however arrogant I americium of you.

SECOND INVESTIGATOR [to Hernandez]: Right determination is strength. That's the spot of the Lord.

Harvey Fishbein: "That's the spot of the Lord." …What's the spot of the Lord? That helium said thing that they said they needed successful bid to marque radical consciousness better, the household to resoluteness it?

Richard Schlesinger: But the constabulary would antagonistic and the prosecutors would antagonistic that this feline confessed to truthful galore radical implicit the years that helium corroborates his ain words.

Harvey Fishbein: Well, they-- they would similar to accidental that. I don't deliberation that's accurate.

Richard Schlesinger: They do say that --

Harvey Fishbein: I cognize -- and I don't deliberation that's accurate.

The prosecution called those religion members, Hernandez's ex-wife, and his person who each said Hernandez told them helium did thing atrocious to a young boy. But astatine the time, they ne'er reported thing due to the fact that they didn't cognize whether to judge him.

D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr.: If it was 1 connection successful isolation, that would beryllium 1 thing. …There were a fig of radical to whom helium unburdened himself.

But Fishbein told the assemblage those accounts varied and Hernandez whitethorn person been making them up to look tough. And helium offered the jurors different suspect; the antheral many, including the Patz's, archetypal thought killed Etan: Jose Ramos, the known pedophile whose woman knew Etan.

Harvey Fishbein: I consciousness definite that if the District Attorney's Office tried Jose Ramos, helium would beryllium convicted.

D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr.: The grounds against Pedro Hernandez was overmuch stronger than it had ever been against Jose Ramos.

Etan Patz lawsuit "built connected a batch of tiny but almighty pieces of evidence" 01:40

The prosecutors had 1 portion of grounds they considered critical. It was thing Hernandez said erstwhile helium showed constabulary wherever helium said helium dumped Etan's body. He noticed determination was a doorway wherever helium didn't retrieve one.

Det. Dave Ramirez: And helium says, "There wasn't a doorway there."

When they researched the building's history, prosecutors discovered Hernandez was right. The doorway was added aft 1979.

D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr.: That's a information that was not known publicly… that we believed lone the slayer would know.

But the defence says Hernandez wasn't adjacent definite which gathering it was.

DETECTIVE [to Hernandez]: Which one? Can you retrieve if it was this one?

Harvey Fishbein: He said … "I thought possibly this is it." And past helium looks and helium says, "No. This is it."

DETECTIVE: OK, this is the one, right?

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: Yeah, I deliberation so.

It was a batch for the jurors to sift through. The proceedings took astir 3 months. And successful April 2015, they began deliberating and deliberating … for 18 days.

THE TRIALS OF PEDRO HERNANDEZ

For 18 days, the assemblage considered Pedro Hernandez's confession to the execution of Etan Patz.

SECOND INVESTIGATOR: Then what happened aft that?

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: And past I choke him.

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: Yeah, erstwhile I choked him, helium went similar this [hold hands to his throat, drops his arms to his sides and goes limp].

Adam Sirois was 1 of the jurors.

Adam Sirois | Juror: A large bony of contention was the intelligence wellness issue. …We debated that for days.

Adam Sirois: The different contented that was precise sticky astatine archetypal was the confession … Everyone felt precise upset astir not being capable to spot the full interview.

The jurors disagreed connected whether the confession could person been coerced. Twice, they told the justice they were astatine an impasse. And, the 3rd clip they reported they could not scope a verdict. On May 8, 2015, the justice declared a mistrial.

Etan Patz assemblage incapable to scope verdict; mistrial declared

Stan Patz [to reporters]: Our agelong ordeal is not over.

Harvey Fishbein: When they said they were incapable to scope a decision, we believed it was going to beryllium 11-to-1 for acquittal.

It was 11 to 1 -- but not for acquittal. Only 1 juror voted not guilty; it was Adam Sirois.

SECOND INVESTIGATOR: Do you retrieve the date?

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: No.

PEDRO HERNANDEZ: No. …the day was… the 25th…

The juror recovered the confession hard to believe, not knowing what went connected earlier the camera started rolling.

Richard Schlesinger: You know, it's precise hard for radical to wrapper their minds astir the thought that idiosyncratic would confess to murdering a kid -- if helium didn't really bash it?

Adam Sirois: Yeah. … And a batch of the jurors said that successful -- successful our deliberations. …But the full crushed wherefore you don't conscionable propulsion idiosyncratic successful jailhouse erstwhile they confess is that there's a batch of radical retired determination with intelligence unwellness that could confess to tons of crimes. And it doesn't mean they're each guilty.

But remainder of the jurors believed Hernandez was guilty. Still, 11 retired of 12 is not capable to convict. And Stan Patz was evidently disappointed.

Stan Patz [to reporters aft mistrial]: This antheral did it. He said it. How galore times does a antheral person to confess earlier idiosyncratic believes him?

D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr.: Stan was -- was unequivocal successful his enactment that the lawsuit should beryllium retried. And truthful we did.

A year-and-a-half later, Pedro Hernandez went connected proceedings again. The grounds and the issues were the aforesaid arsenic the archetypal trial. And, similar the archetypal trial, it was agelong -- much than 3 months. This proceedings besides ended with a agelong deliberation -- 9 days.

Richard Schlesinger: Did it commencement feeling similar the archetypal clip to you?

Harvey Fishbein | Defense attorney: Nothing ever felt similar that 18 days the archetypal time. But yes. It was reminiscent of that and … we were conscionable trying to recognize what was going on. It's intolerable to effort to work a jury.

But dissimilar the archetypal trial, this assemblage reached a verdict. Pedro Hernandez was convicted of sidesplitting Etan Patz 37 years aft the first-grader near location and vanished.

Stan Patz [to reporters]: The Patz household has waited a agelong time, but we person yet recovered immoderate measurement of justness for our fantastic small lad Etan. …I americium genuinely relieved and I archer you, it is astir time. It truly is astir time.

Pedro Hernandez was sentenced to 25 years-to-life.

Richard Schlesinger: Why bash you deliberation this lawsuit was truthful hard to solve? Why did it instrumentality truthful long?

Lt. Chris Zimmerman: My opinion. …I deliberation radical had large intentions. … I deliberation radical got focused connected radical similar Ramos. I'm not criticizing anybody independently, 'cause it made a lotta sense. …He's an evil man. He's conscionable not our evil man.

It's a feeling present shared by others who erstwhile were convinced Jose Ramos murdered Etan Patz earlier constabulary recovered Pedro Hernandez.

Brian O'Dwyer: If I were connected the jury, I would person travel with the aforesaid verdict.

Richard Schlesinger: Do you inactive deliberation of Etan Patz?

Brian O'Dwyer: I do.

Richard Schlesinger: What bash you deliberation about?

Brian O'Dwyer: It could person been my son.

That is the thought that inactive haunts truthful galore progressive successful this case. Phil Mahony, agelong retired from the NYPD, is present an lawyer and inactive thinks astir Etan.

Phil Mahony | Former NYPD lieutenant: My kids are, like, 22, the youngest, and I inactive deliberation astir it erstwhile I'm -- erstwhile they're retired of show and retired of mind.

Patrick Eanniello | Former NYPD detective: We were kinda hopin' that it would beryllium similar a movie ending wherever the -- the lad would yet locomotion successful the door. …But it didn't enactment retired that way.

Richard Schlesinger [referring to Etan's missing poster]: I've noticed a mates of times you've looked down astatine this. Why bash you – it inactive means something?

Lt. Chris Zimmerman: Yeah, this is, this is the poster we retrieve the most, I would say. This is -- the kids lookin' close astatine me. … I consciousness for the family. I'm a begetter myself, and truthful is Dave.

Richard Schlesinger: Case is solved, but --

Lt. Chris Zimmerman: Solved but I ne'er gave them implicit closure. I couldn't springiness 'em their lad back. [Tears up, puts caput down] …Would person loved to springiness them their lad back.

Etan's remains person ne'er been found.

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