Maple Shade Man Indicted In 1979 Death Of NYC Boy Etan Patz
NEW YORK (AP) -- The suspect in the infamous 1979 disappearance of a 6-year-old boy from his New York City neighborhood has been formally charged with murder and kidnapping.
The indictment against 51-year-old Pedro Hernandez in the death of Etan Patz was made public Wednesday. Hernandez, of Maple Shade, N.J., was arrested this year, and investigators say he confessed.
Etan's disappearance led to an intensive search and spawned a movement to publicize cases of missing children. His photo was among the first put on milk cartons, and his case turned May 25 into National Missing Children's Day.
Defense attorney Harvey Fishbein has said Hernandez is mentally ill and has a history of hallucinations.
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