Miami-Dade police

“What Will She Tell Her Son?”: Vigil Held for Man Found Dead in Miami Lakes

Friends and family are mourning the loss of a loved one after a man was found dead inside of a car in Miami Lakes. On Saturday, a vigil was held in his honor.

The wife of Lester Santana-Hernandez, 37, left flowers at the spot where her husband was found shot to death in the backseat of a car Thursday evening.

Saturday night’s vigil in a quiet Miami Lakes neighborhood came with a lot of unanswered questions for a grieving family.

“He was just working. He wasn’t really doing anything,” said Marisabel Herandez, the victim’s cousin.

Miami-Dade Police are searching for clues in. Hernandez was found shot to death in the back of a rented gray Volkswagen Jetta with multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators say whoever was driving lost control and crashed into a tree on Northwest 89th Avenue and 146th Street.

“It’s shocking. It’s kind of like we haven’t processed it yet,” said Hernandez.

Neighbors said they quickly realized it was much more than an accident when they saw the car’s shattered back window. Some homeowners said they came outside to try and help and saw a man get out of the car. He reportedly grabbed something from the car and took off.

“Who was it? Where is the car that he had?” said Hernandez.

Police setup a perimeter to track down the possible person of interest, but did not have any luck. Loved ones say Hernandez leaves behind a loving wife and child who don’t know what’s next.

“What is she going to tell her son?” said Hernandez.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

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