AMANDA HERNANDEZ, the wife of one of the men convicted in the killing of a Rochester Hills businessman has been charged in connection with the case, following the disclosure of extensive text message evidence presented in court, authorities said.
Oakland County prosecutors confirmed that Amanda Ileana Hernandez, 24, of Lincoln Park, is facing charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree home invasion, accessory after the fact, and conspiracy to falsely impersonate a utility worker.
Hernandez is the wife of Carlos Hernandez, who was previously convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Hussein Murray.
Prosecutors allege that Amanda Hernandez played a role in planning the crime and in efforts to conceal it after the killing. If convicted on the charges, she faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Carlos Hernandez and co-defendant Joshua Zuazo were both convicted and sentenced to life in prison for their involvement in the case. The two men were found guilty of felony murder and two counts of unlawful imprisonment.
Investigators said the suspects posed as DTE Energy utility workers to gain entry into Murray’s Rochester Hills home on Oct. 11, 2024.
According to court records, once inside the residence, Murray was taken to the basement, where he was fatally assaulted. His wife was present during the incident and was restrained with duct tape.
After freeing herself, she contacted 911 and initially reported that she believed her husband had been kidnapped.
Deputies with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office searched the home and later discovered Murray’s body in the basement. Authorities said Murray owned a jewelry store in Hamtramck.
Carlos Hernandez was arrested the following day, Oct. 12, 2024, in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office reported that he was stopped while traveling southbound on Interstate 49 after crossing into Louisiana from Arkansas and was taken into custody without incident.
He was extradited to Michigan and booked into the Oakland County Jail on Oct. 24, 2024.
Following her husband’s arrest, Amanda Hernandez allegedly identified Joshua Zuazo as the second suspect. Zuazo was later located in Plymouth Township and arrested on Oct. 14, 2024.
During the October 2025 trial of Carlos Hernandez and Zuazo, prosecutors presented numerous text messages exchanged between Carlos and Amanda Hernandez as evidence.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Detective Jordan Conley testified about the messages, explaining that investigators obtained the communications using forensic tools commonly used to extract data from mobile devices.
Authorities said the investigation remains active as the case against Amanda Hernandez moves forward in the court system.
