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A federal judge in New York ruled Friday that Pedro Hernandez, convicted in 2017 of abducting and murdering six-year-old Etan Patz, must be retried by June 1, 2026 or released. Judge Colleen McMahon, calling the case a nearly half-century saga, set the deadline amid an appeals court finding that Hernandez was wrongfully convicted due to a state trial error. The Manhattan district attorney plans to seek U.S. Supreme Court intervention and has not decided on a new trial. McMahon noted staffing turnover and far-flung witnesses could complicate starting jury selection by the deadline.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.