When Stephanie Hernandez, an Arkansas mother of a 3-year-old and an 8-month-old daughter, was found dead recently, the police did not have to look far. They simply checked out social media and found a picture of her boyfriend, Rafael Gonzalez, pointing a gun at her head. Hernandez was killed just hours after the pictures were posted on Snapchat.
The pictures were taken in Hernandez’ Little Rock home. He added the caption “Strap Chat” to the picture of pointing a gun at his girlfriend’s head. Hernandez, 21, was later found dead from a gunshot wound. The home was also ransacked with blood all over one of the floors.
Gonzalez, 20, was arrested the next day and has now been charged with first-degree murder. The family had reportedly tried to get Hernandez to stop seeing Gonzalez who was viewed (with obviously good reason) as a loser and a “bad influence.” Hernandez had moved into a new home and was beginning a new life with a new job (to begin the Monday morning before she was shot).
Friends says that Gonzalez is “fresh straight out of the penitentiary.”
The arguments about the 2nd amendment here (pro and con) are just stupid. Yes, she was shot by a guy with an illegal gun. How do I know illegal…..he is a felon and the mere proximity to a gun is illegal and no responsible gun shop would have legally sold him the gun. Sure, she could have had a gun and proactively taken care of the threat by offing him. (That is a pretty stupid idea as well)
However, that is beside the point. He could have killed her with a frozen leg of lamb (obscure television show reference) or a kitchen knife or any other common household item. The method of his crime is not the point.
The issue is that she was near the SOURCE of the danger to herself…..aka….this low life scum. The lifestyle that he has should have been a giant clue to her. She knew he was dangerous. Her family warned her. The fact that she ignored these clues is telling. Not blaming the victim, directly, but when you put yourself into a dangerous situation, ON purpose, you do bear some of the liability for the results.
It isn’t about the gun and those who want to make it so, do so only because they are a boring boring one song band with an agenda.
calypso, No, it’s even stupider than that. The belief is the gun killed this woman, not the person pulling the trigger. All guns are bad. People are good, but guns make them bad.
Max thinks one more statute restricting guns would have somehow changed the mind of Gonzalez, a known felon, already illegally in possession of a gun, committing a capital murder.
All sorts of people get caught up in using their cell phones in interesting ways. http://www.alternet.org/indiana-gops-house-leader-resigns-after-texting-sexually-explicit-video-himself-cheating-wife
Second Amendment?? She could have protected herself by shooting him first if she had been smart enough to have her own gun. Obviously, she wasn’t that smart or she would have avoided him in the first place. There is no protection or cure for stupidity.
davidm2575
1, October 1, 2015 at 8:23 am
I don’t understand why so many women are attracted to losers like this guy.
There’s a terrible price to pay for being attracted to danger. Sad.
david, It often goes back to daddy. A father is the template of a man for a daughter.
Embrace multicultural diversity!
Embrace illegal immigration and amnesty!
Thanks, Pres. Obama!
I don’t understand why so many women are attracted to losers like this guy.
As for the 2nd Amendment, if Stephanie used a gun to protect herself, she might still be alive. Give a woman a gun, and she is equal to a man in her ability to protect herself from thugs like this guy. Without a gun, she is generally no match for the greater strength that men have.
Do we know how Gonzalez acquired the weapon?
The second amendment gave her lots of protection didn’t it?
ninian – domestic violence is always a problem. We are reaching the time of year when the temperatures a prime for violence. If he had not had a gun, he would have had a knife, or some other weapon. Actually, I think he was breaking the law carry a pistol since felon are not allowed to be armed.
The dude, Rafael, was out of his mind. Why would he do it is beyond me!
I can’t say much but I do hope that woman’s family get through those really really hard times.
@Paul C. Shultze You are absolutely correct. Facebook is going to bring those crime levels down because criminals end up making stupid mistakes. There is such a thing as a smart criminal but there is no such a thing as a long-term smart criminal. They end up making stupid mistakes that are costly.
Lisa N.
Sorry, were you talking about his vic. Ms. HERNANDEZ?
Lisa N
You would think that customs and immigration would have deported him when he was initially arrested…
However I’m sure when they catch up to him they’ll also throw more books at him…
More guns
~ N.R.A.
And high level criminals in the united states can openly brag about their crimes with impunity.
I had a quality law professor (a rarity) pose the question as follows: Is there a provision in the Constitution which prevents rich people from getting arrested and prosecuted?
chipkelly – the quality of the professor has to do with both the student and the professor. You can be a great professor for 90% of the class and never make a mark on the other 10%. You are responsible for your education and its quality. In reality, your professor is just a guide.
I call Facebook : Buttbook. Ya gotta be dumb to put your personal info on there. But, my half blind guy for whom I am guide dog owns the stock. And I approve. Now I call on The Donald to Build Up That Wall!. Oh, he is not President yet. Ok. Rick Perry: Build Up That Wall!
While I was gone on my Bermuda boat trip The Donald has seemed to take center stage. I am not sure that I want him. Maybe Kasich. Maybe Biden.
Facebook is going to bring down the crime level everywhere. All these idiots are filming themselves in the act.
Another one of those undesirables that Mexico didn’t want. I think Donald Trump was right. Now we have two motherless children. Sickening!
I’m pretty hardened from decades of being a PI. But, something about this case just hit me in the gut. I pray for this woman’s children, parents and family. I will censor myself before saying anything about the killer.