He was arrested for fatally stabbing another man in 2023.
Santos Felipe Reyes-Valle (Photo from State’s Attorney’s; Office)
Frederick, Md (KM) A sentence was handed down on Tuesday in Circuit Court to a Frederick man convicted of 1st-degree murder. Circuit Court Judge Kathleen English gave Santos Felipe Reyes-Valle life in the Division of Corrections. A jury found Reyes-Valle, 40, guilty of 1st- and 2nd-degree murder on June 23rd, 2025 for the stabbing death of another man
The State’s Attorney’s Office says on May 17th, 2023, Frederick Police responded to the Home Depot Parking lot at 51 North McCain Drive for a man lying unresponsive on the ground covered in blood and barely breathing. Jose Pedro Hernandez was taken to Frederick Health Hospital where he died.
Detectives interviewed witnesses at the scene, who told them they saw a man named “Felipe” who was in the area wielding a knife. Police found a folding knife in wooded area with blood on it.
They located Reyes-Valle walking near the crime scene. His clothing was wet and he had multiple scratches on his face and arms.
Reyes-Valle was taken into custody, and charged with Hernandez’s death. Authorities say a forensic analysis detected the defendant’s DNA and fingerprints on the knife as well as the victim’s DNA.
“Our prosecutors put in substantial effort in order to get this murderer a substantial sentence,” said State’s Attorney Charlie Smith, in a statement. “Life in prison achieves both justice for the victims and our community.”
Prosecutors had asked for a life sentence for Reyes-Valle.
Jose Pedro Hernandez’s family described in a victim impact statement how this crime has affected the victim’s loved ones. “Pedro was the head of our family, and it has affected us greatly,” they said. “I don’t know why he was taken from us, and I want the defendant to never get out of jail.”
By Kevin McManus