Murder suspect in court, victim's friend speaks out

Medford, Ore. — A Medford man was arraigned on a murder charge, among others, on Friday. Frank Hernandez is accused of shooting and killing Jordan Andres at an apartment complex early Wednesday morning.

While Hernandez made his first court appearance, a friend of Andres is speaking out, and remembering a friend, lost tragically this week. Jillian Mahon says Andres recently reached out to her on Facebook.

“A few days before the shooting, he asked me what I was up to,” Mahon said, shocked by her friend’s death. “I didn’t digest it all the way, you know, like, he was actually gone.”

Hernandez was arraigned in court on Friday. He’s facing murder, kidnapping, coercion, and felon in possession of a firearm charges, among others. The public defender’s office says they can’t take his case, due to an undisclosed conflict of interest.

Hernandez was tracked down less than 48 hours after the fatal shooting at the Brentwood Apartments on Table Rock road. The Medford Police SWAT team, detectives, and MADGE found him inside a home on the 6500-block of Kentucky drive, outside of Gold Hill.

“We did recover guns from the residence, one of the guns was, is believed to be the murder weapon,” Lieutenant Kerry Curtis said.

While the investigation is ongoing, police think drugs could have been a factor.

“Exactly how that comes into play, we’re still trying to figure that out,” Curtis noted. “But it sounds like that’s the reason the altercation originated.”

For now, police are relieved to have their suspect in custody. Meanwhile, Mahon just hopes her friend gets justice.

“I hope that guy gets what he, gets what he deserves,” Mahon said.

Hernandez is expected to be back in court on April 21.

Andres leaves behind a wife and two year old son. A Go Fund Me account has been set up for his memorial service.