State seeks death penalty in murder and kidnapping case in 2023

LAWRENCE COUNTY, ALABAMA, Ala. – The state has filed a lawsuit seeking the death penalty against Jordan Hernandez, who is charged with murder in connection with a 2023 murder-kidnapping investigation.

Documents filed Sept. 23 reveal the state's intent to seek this ultimate punishment as Hernandez faces a number of serious charges, including first-degree burglary and kidnapping.

Hernandez, a Decatur resident, was arrested after a nearly day-long manhunt. The incident occurred during a home invasion on County Road 245 in which Hernandez and his accomplice, Auburn Renee Moore, entered a residence.

During the invasion, a man named Dustin Grimes was fatally shot while trying to protect his wife. Hernandez and Moore allegedly stole items from the house and left the house with Grimes' wife.