Murder charge filed in the 1985 homicide of 19 year old Isabel Hernandez

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten, in conjunction with the Oxnard Police Department, announced today that one count of murder was filed against Vincent Mackey (DOB 10/17/1963) for the rape and murder of 19-year-old Isabel Hernandez on September 28, 1985. Special allegations for the personal use of a knife and special circumstance allegations including murder during the course of a rape, murder during the course of a burglary, and prior murder were also alleged. Mackey was previously convicted of the 1986 murder of James Sprigg and is currently serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for that crime. If convicted for the murder of Isabel Hernandez, Mackey could face either the death penalty or an additional sentence of life without the possibility of parole. 

On September 28, 1985, at approximately 1:15 a.m., Ms. Hernandez was found murdered in an apartment located in Oxnard. No suspects were identified at the time; however, several pieces of evidence were preserved, including the bedding and swabs taken from Ms. Hernandez.

The case remained unsolved for nearly 30 years until 2014, when Oxnard Police Department detectives assigned to the Ventura County Cold Case Task Force reopened the investigation. Biological evidence was submitted for DNA analysis and Vincent Mackey was identified as being the person responsible for the murder of Ms. Hernandez.

The successful outcome of this investigation was the result of conscientious and thorough evidence collection by the original investigators and the collaborative efforts of the Oxnard Police Department, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Ventura County Sheriff’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory, and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

The investigation into the murder of Isabel Hernandez continues and anyone with information is urged to contact Oxnard Police Department Detective Mike Young at 805-385-7606, or at [email protected].

_____________________________________

Get Citizensjournal.us Headlines free  SUBSCRIPTION. Keep us publishing – DONATE