The city of Abilene recorded its first homicide of 2026 in the early morning hours of Thursday, February 19, when 44-year-old Jesus Hernandez was found shot to death outside a north-side apartment complex. Police responded to a call at approximately 5:15 a.m. reporting an injured person in the 3300 block of Sherry Lane, near the Courtyard Park apartment complex.
Upon arrival, officers discovered Hernandez lying on the pavement suffering from injuries consistent with a homicide, later confirmed to be a fatal gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital by ambulance but was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival.
The homicide occurred during a particularly violent night in north Abilene, as police had responded to another shooting just hours earlier at the Sandpiper Apartments in the 2100 block of Beechwood Lane. That incident, reported around 11 p.m. Wednesday, involved a Hispanic man found suffering from “trauma from a blunt force object” with injuries not believed to be life-threatening, and a 20-year-old Black man who arrived at the hospital via private vehicle with a critical gunshot wound. Authorities have not confirmed whether the two incidents are connected, and as of Thursday evening, no arrests had been made in any of the cases.
The Abilene Police Department, with assistance from the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, has launched an intensive investigation into Hernandez’s death. Public Information Coordinator Rick Tomlin confirmed that investigators are actively searching for one or more suspects and have urged anyone with information to come forward. The department has established two primary channels for tips: detectives can be reached directly at (325) 676-6610, and anonymous tips eligible for cash rewards can be submitted to Abilene Crime Stoppers at (325) 676-8477 (TIPS).
The 3300 block of Sherry Lane, located in north Abilene, has seen previous police activity, including a 2022 criminal mischief incident at the same Courtyard Park Apartments where mailboxes were pried open, and a 2025 shooting where a 20-year-old woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Thursday’s fatal shooting marks the first homicide of the year for Abilene, a sobering statistic for a community that has now lost one of its own to violence.
Jesus Hernandez, identified by the Abilene Police Department following notification of his family, has been remembered on the Gun Violence Archive as a life lost to gun violence on February 19, 2026. His death leaves a void in the lives of those who knew him, as investigators continue to piece together the circumstances that led to a 44-year-old man being shot and killed outside his apartment complex in the predawn darkness. The community now awaits answers as law enforcement pursues leads and searches for those responsible for Abilene’s first homicide of the year.