Supreme Court Upholds Pedro Hernandez Conviction in 1979 Etan Patz Murder Case
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the 2017 conviction of Pedro Hernandez for the 1979 abduction and murder of 6-year-old Etan Patz, reversing a federal appeals court decision that had called for a new trial. Hernandez, a former New York convenience store worker, confessed to luring Etan into a basement and killing him. His defense cited mental illness affecting his confession's reliability. The case is notable for raising national awareness of missing children.