Man could face death penalty in rape, murder of young girl

Monday, Sept. 21, 2009 | 5:44 p.m.

Greg Wallen Jr.

Police make arrest in 15-year-old homicide case (6-16-09)

A man accused of raping and killing a 7-year-old girl in 1994 could face the death penalty.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Daskas told District Court Judge Elissa Cadish today that his office intends to seek capital punishment for Gregory Wallen in the death of Diana Hernandez.

Wallen, 37, pleaded not guilty on Sept. 17 but was back in court Monday to schedule a trial date. Cadish set the trial for Sept. 7, 2010.

A jury will decide if Wallen is guilty and whether he should die by lethal injection.

Metro Police found Hernandez’s naked body in a box in a trash bin at her apartment complex on April 3, 1994, the day after her mother reported her missing.

Hernandez was suffocated and sexually assaulted, according to the coroner’s report.

Detectives initially suspected her mother’s boyfriend but DNA that was found didn't match his.

Wallen wasn't a suspect at the time and even joined in the door-to-door search of the Sandpiper Apartment complex, 3955 Algonquin Ave., near Flamingo Road and Maryland Parkway, where Hernandez lived. The case went cold for 15 years.

In January of this year, detectives re-examined the case and discovered that Wallen since had been convicted of sexual assault and was a registered sex offender.

A search of apartment records showed Wallen lived downstairs from Hernandez and her family.

Police have said the DNA and a partial fingerprint lifted from the box she was found in matched Wallen.

Discussion: 6 comments so far…

By magoo61

9/21/09 at 8:08 p.m.

Suggest removal

Excellent work Metro Detectives. 'Life' in general population is better justice than death, even in prison they don't like his kind.
By theone1

9/21/09 at 8:10 p.m.

Suggest removal

Barney Fife, Andy Griffeth deputy must have been the initial investigator on this case. It took 15 years for them to stumble on this evidence? Let us hope they have better detectives working now.
By larrydickman

9/21/09 at 11:01 p.m.

Suggest removal

mayberrys finest are mensa members compared to the idiot detectives who focused on the wrong person to begin with and overlooked this obvious creepy white-trash mope
By shutyertrap

9/22/09 at 11:50 a.m.

Suggest removal

Really nice neck tattoo. THAT might have been a clue.....
By Bodytalk555

9/22/09 at 7:18 p.m.

Suggest removal

There shouldn't be any question. Execute this scum!