Nain Isaac Nieto Hernandez Pleads Not Guilty to Sarai Alcaraz's Murder

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UPDATE NO. 2, JAN. 4, 2:50 P.M.: Nain Isaac Nieto Hernandez pleaded not guilty today to the murder of Sarai Alcaraz. The 29-year-old Santa Ana resident faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if he is convicted, according to prosecutors. Hernandez was arraigned on a single count of murder this afternoon at the Central Jail in Santa Ana, according to the Orange County District Attorney's office, whose veteran homicide prosecutor Matt Murphy drew the case. Meanwhile, City News Service, citing a law enforcement source, reports that 23-year-old Alcaraz worked for Cyren Entertainment, a Fullerton adult entertainment agency that provides "entertainers" for various types of parties and events. The Newport Beach Police Department previously revealed that Alcaraz was working as an escort when Hernandez hired her to meet him at the Campus Drive building where he worked as a janitor and, allegedly, murdered her.

UPDATE NO. 1, DEC. 30, 5:35 P.M.: Santa Ana's Nain Isaac Nieto Hernandez hired escort Sarai Alcaraz to meet him where he worked as a janitor: the building where the Long Beach woman's body was found, according to Newport Beach Police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella. Her statement also described his arrest:

On the morning of Wednesday, December 30, Detectives responded to the city of Santa Ana to serve two residential search warrants and to attempt to locate Mr. Nieto Hernandez, whom they had identified as a suspect in this case. Shortly before 11:30 a.m., they conducted a vehicle stop on a black sedan on Alton Avenue near Bristol Street. Mr. Nieto Hernandez, a passenger in the vehicle, was subsequently arrested for the murder of Ms. Alcaraz. The arrestee is a 29-year-old resident of Santa Ana who is currently employed in the janitorial services industry. There are no outstanding suspects in this investigation.

This is an ongoing investigation and no further information is being released at this time. The Newport Beach Police Department is asking anyone with additional information to call the Police Department’s hotline at 1-800-550-NBPD. Messages may be left anonymously, if so desired.

ORIGINAL POST, DEC. 30, 12:44 P.M.: A 29-year-old man was arrested today on suspicion of murdering a 23-year-old woman whose body was found in a Newport Beach office building early Tuesday.

Nain Isaac Nieto Hernandez was taken into custody in Santa Ana this morning in connection with the death of Sarai Alcaraz, a Long Beach woman he did not know, according to Newport Beach Police, who have not disclosed how she was killed.

Cops received a call at 12:11 a.m. Tuesday from a friend asking that they check on Alcaraz, who'd stopped responding to texts and phone calls, according to Newport Beach Police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella.

Alcaraz had last been seen a couple hours earlier in the area of the business complex at 5030 block of Campus Drive, Newport Beach, Manzella said.

"We had a couple friends who were concerned about their friend," Manzella explained before the arrest. "The original caller was female, she was off away somewhere, but had a male friend looking for this missing gal. … They had some idea of where she should be, so [that] helped officers narrow down the area."

After discovering the body, police declined to say whether it bore signs of trauma. An autopsy was performed, but at last word the coroner had not determined cause of death and was awaiting toxicology reports.

This morning, the Orange County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Alcaraz.

Investigators have not said if she or Hernandez had any connection to the business complex.

"We have one clue—we do have a witness in the area who saw a white van near the building," Manzella said at the time. "It was a time of night where there's not that many people in the area, so we're hopeful that they might have some information that can help us."

Detectives were interviewing people who work in the building, canvassing the area and checking for surveillance cameras, she added.

City News Service reports Hernandez has a misdemeanor record.

Hernandez pleaded guilty in October of 2010 to “knowingly possessing false government documents,'' some of which were “illegally obtained'' from the Department of Motor Vehicles, according to his plea deal form in court records. He was arrested in Tustin for driving without a valid driver's license.

Hernandez was initially sentenced to 20 days in jail and 20 days working on a Caltrans crew, but he failed to keep up with payments on the fine and complete the Caltrans work so his probation was revoked in June 2013, according to court records. An arrest warrant was issued for him in June of this year for the same reasons and he was ordered to do 76 hours of community service, which
he completed in October.

Hernandez was refunded $1,195 in overpayment of fines last month, according to court records.

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