Sierra Hernandez murder: Polk County woman charged after remains found in burned pile, court records show
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - A Winter Haven woman is now facing charges in connection to the death of 20-year-old Sierra Hernandez, who was reported missing and later found dead by deputies. This comes just one day after detectives arrested their prime suspect in Hernandez's murder, Enrique Martinez.
Daphne Fernandez, 44, was in court Wednesday afternoon for her first appearance. She's facing charges of attempted felony murder, abuse of a body, kidnapping, and accessory after the fact.
Pictured: Daphne Fernandez.
According to court documents, Rita Thomas, Hernandez's mother, reported her daughter had been missing for several days on January 14.
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On Jan. 10, a witness stated he saw Daphne Fernandez at her home in the 3000 block of Avenue T NW in Winter Haven with Enrique Martinez. He was already wanted for first-degree murder in the death of Edil Rodriguez on Nov. 8.
Pictured: Edil Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was killed at a homeless camp on November 8 in Eloise, which is in unincorporated Polk County.
Martinez was taken into custody on Tuesday after more than two months of evading capture.
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Pictured: Enrique Martinez being taken into custody on Jan. 23.
The witness stated that Martinez and Fernandez were standing in her son's room where he observed someone, whose name was redacted in the report, but who is believed to be Sierra Hernandez, with her hands and wrists bound.
The witness believed she was being held against her will.
The witness asked Fernandez and Martinez what they were doing, and Martinez charged at him, so he ran from the home.
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Fernandez was later pulled over by a Polk County deputy on Jan. 15 after she was seen driving Hernandez's gray 1999 Ford Crown Vic in the Lakeland area. Fernandez was arrested for knowingly driving with a suspended license.
Pictured: Enrique Martinez.
Four days after Fernandez's arrest, a search warrant was executed on her home where Hernandez's medical paperwork from Jan. 8 was found.
Investigators said they also found a large pile of burned items in the backyard that included human remains.
Pictured: A missing persons flyer for Sierra Hernandez.
Court documents state based on the investigation, Fernandez lied to detectives when asked about having Hernandez's vehicle, assisted in concealing her murder and providing aid to Martinez to avoid arrest.
Fernandez is currently in the Polk County Jail and her bond was set at $1 million.