Nearly half a century after a Barrio Logan killing stunned a neighborhood, a 73-year-old Chula Vista man is finally facing a judge in connection with the case. Mitchell Hernandez appeared for a preliminary hearing yesterday at the downtown San Diego courthouse on a first-degree murder charge tied to a 1976 stabbing. This week, prosecutors highlighted DNA that authorities say links Hernandez to material found under the victim’s fingernails, along with fingerprints taken decades ago from a refrigerator at the scene that investigators later matched to him. The victim, Leo Marquina, was found stabbed inside his Harrison Avenue home on Nov. 10, 1976.
Prosecutors Lean On Fresh Forensic Matches
Prosecutors told the court that DNA attributed to Hernandez matched material recovered from beneath Marquina’s fingernails, according to CBS 8. The outlet reported that fingerprints lifted from a refrigerator at 1933 Harrison Avenue were reprocessed in 2022 and then linked to Hernandez after modern forensic testing. Court records and local reporting indicate the preliminary hearing opened yesterday and was scheduled to continue this morning.
Case Reopened, 2025 Arrest Follows
Hernandez was arrested in April 2025 after San Diego homicide detectives and the County District Attorney’s cold-case unit reopened the file and re-examined physical evidence, per ABC 10News. Initial reporting notes that officers responded to the 1900 block of Harrison Avenue on Nov. 10, 1976, where Marquina was found with fatal stab wounds. A decades-old case reopened, previously covering the arrest and the renewed investigation, per Hoodline.
Neighbors Remember The Victim
At the preliminary hearing, neighbor Marina Ahlbrand testified that Marquina had no enemies and answered “no” when asked directly if she knew of anyone who might have wanted to hurt him, according to the reporting. A family member identified in court as Rena Weinert described Marquina as “just a very nice man,” per CBS 8. Those memories added a personal layer to a case now dominated by aging evidence and lab reports.
What Happens Next
Hernandez is charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail while the court weighs the evidence, according to earlier coverage from ABC 10News. The preliminary hearing will determine whether prosecutors have shown enough probable cause to send the case to trial. The judge will decide if the matter proceeds to the next stage, which would mean pretrial hearings and likely arguments over what long-ago evidence the jury will be allowed to see.
How To Help
The hearing was set to continue Thursday morning, and future dates will appear on the public court calendar. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the San Diego Police Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or San Diego Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477, according to the Times of San Diego. Prosecutors say the investigation remains active as the court process moves forward.
