A Cold Case Reopens: Etan Patz's Disappearance

In New York, a decades-old mystery is back in the spotlight. Prosecutors are set to retry a man accused of killing 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979. This is the third time this case is going to trial. Pedro Hernandez, now 64, was convicted in 2017, but an appeals court overturned that decision. The court said the judge made a mistake in how the jury was told to handle Hernandez's confession. Hernandez worked at a nearby store when Etan vanished on his way to the school bus stop. His body was never found. This case changed how America thinks about missing kids. It led to things like pictures on milk cartons and a national hotline for reporting missing children. Hernandez wasn't a suspect for a long time. He only became one when people said he had told them strange stories about killing a child. In 2012, he told police he had strangled Etan after inviting him into the store basement. But there's no physical evidence linking him to the crime. His lawyers say his confession was false and made under pressure. The first trial ended with a hung jury. Some jurors were worried about Hernandez's mental health and the long police questioning. The second trial led to a conviction, but now that's been overturned. The appeals court said the judge should have given more guidance to the jury about how to consider Hernandez's confessions. Hernandez's lawyers are disappointed but ready to fight. They say he's innocent and will present a strong defense. The retrial must start by June 1, or Hernandez will be released. This case is a reminder of how hard it is to solve old crimes and how important it is to get it right.