Husband shot wife over what he perceived was her flirting with another man: Court documents

Tom Abrahams Image
Monday, March 25, 2019
Man killed wife over perceived flirting, court documents say
Woman's daughter said her dad was upset because it looked like her mom was flirting with another man.

PEARLAND, Texas (KTRK) -- An HPD sergeant accused of killing his wife in Pearland has been relieved of duty with pay.

Monday, the Houston Police Officer's Union declined to represent Hilario Hernandez because his case is not tied within the "course and scope of him being a police officer."

"If these allegations are true, this man is a disgrace to the badge and a disgrace to the oath that he took," said union president Joe Gamaldi.

The daughter of Belinda Hernandez told ABC13 Eyewitness News her dad was upset with her mom because it looked like she was flirting with someone else.

Belinda, a beloved Pearland ISD librarian, was found in her kitchen at a home in the 1900 block of Canyon Creek Saturday by her daughter.

Hilario was arrested hours later in Kingsville, Texas, about 100 miles north of the Mexico border in a hotel. He's now facing murder charges.

According to court documents, the couple's daughter said she and her husband had been at the house drinking with her parents and a close family friend the night Belinda was found dead. She said her dad believed that her mom was flirting with that friend.

The daughter told investigators she noticed something was wrong when she sent her mom a text message to tell her she made it home safely, but her mom didn't respond. She called again, but this time, her dad answered and told her that she was fine and hung up.

That worried her, so she and her husband went back to the house, and that's when they found Belinda's body face down in the kitchen with multiple gunshot wounds.

The daughter called 911 and stated that "he shot her last night" and that her father "is gone."

When Pearland police arrived at the Hernandez house, an officer found a gun on the kitchen counter and several shell casings on the floor.

A long-time family friend of Belinda shared her memories with ABC13 Eyewitness News, one as recent as Friday afternoon when she saw Belinda at Shadycrest Elementary School.

"Gave her a hug and you would have never known that anything was wrong. She seemed happy," she said.

Belinda and Hilario had been married for more than three decades and have two children together.

Meanwhile, Hilario remains in the Brazoria County jail after he was transported from Kingsville. ABC13 exclusively captured the moment he arrived at the jail Sunday afternoon.

ABC13 Eyewitness News exclusively captured the moment Hilario Hernandez arrived at the jail Sunday afternoon.

Investigators haven't said how they tracked Hilario down. Court documents say he texted with his HPD lieutenant the same day Belinda was murdered. The lieutenant said "Mr. Hernandez indicated to her that 'he would kill himself or turn himself into her.'"

Hilario's bond is set at $800,000.

Houston police said they are cooperating with Pearland police in this investigation.

Hilario was with the force for 33 years and worked with the Burglary and Theft division

If convicted of first-degree murder, police say Hilario would forfeit his pension.

Click here for the GoFundMe account for Belinda Hernandez.

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