Tangipahoa investigators share details of Ponchatoula woman's murder

PONCHATOULA, La. (WVUE) - Friends, family and even strangers say they’re heartbroken by the murder of Lisa Hernandez.

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office says Hernandez was found beaten to death in her home off Meadow Wood Road on March 20. Her estranged husband David Hernandez was arrested Tuesday (April 16), booked with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice in connection with the crime, authorities said.

“You don’t see that so much in a sleepy little town like this,” Ponchatoula resident Steve McIain said.

People in Ponchatoula say things are usually quiet around town.

“You can’t never trust nobody,” said a woman who asked that her name not be disclosed. “Just thinking that this is around the corner is scary.”

When a violent crime happens nearby, they say it’s hard to believe.

“You hear crazy stories all the time,” said another resident. “So, you know, this world has just gone crazy.”

Estranged husband booked with murder of Ponchatoula woman

Sheriff’s office investigators said the couple had been separated for at least a year.

In that time, investigators say, David stalked Lisa, randomly showing up at her work, hiding a tracking device on her car and sending her a bouquet containing lilies, a type of flower to which she was known to be highly allergic.

“They refer to it as a ‘death flower.’ You send it to funerals,” said Jimmy Travis, chief operating officer of the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s office. “Just a horrible, horrible thing to do, to send her that.”

On March 20, Tangipahoa deputies received a 911 call from the woman’s home.

“Received a call from the victim’s 24-year-old daughter, stating she had come home and found her mother unresponsive on the floor, covered in blood,” Travis said.

Deputies said the home was staged to look like a break-in had occurred. Lisa had been beaten to death by both blunt and sharp weapons, investigators determined.

That same day, deputies say Causeway Bridge cameras caught David Hernandez pulling over and throwing two items from his car into Lake Pontchartrain. The TPSO said a Jefferson Parish dive team recovered one of the items last week, which investigators believe is one of the murder weapons.

Lisa Hernandez’s obituary says she leaves behind three daughters and a sister.

“Your heart’s got to go out for them,” McIain said. “I can’t imagine what they’re going through.”

Travis says as far as the sheriff’s office knows, Lisa Hernandez never reported David to deputies.

“We create laws every day to try and protect these victims, and victims of domestic violence,” Travis said. “But if a victim does not come forth and ask for the assistance from law enforcement, from the courts, then our hands are tied. There’s nothing we can do.”

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