by | Published
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) has arrested two Austin women in connection with a series of thefts targeting residents of a senior living community in Buda that began in March 2025. The suspects are identified as Gina Hernandez, 20, and Elsa Vasquez, 30.
The investigation revealed a pattern where a female in scrubs would pose as a nurse or health attendant to gain entry into the seniors' homes. The suspect would then distract the victims with a purported health evaluation, after which the residents would discover their wallets and identifying/financial documents were missing. In some cases, the thefts were only discovered when banks reported suspicious activity on the victims' accounts.
Detectives with the HCSO Criminal Investigations Division (CID) identified Hernandez and Vasquez as the suspects. The investigation further revealed that the pair allegedly attempted to use the stolen bank cards at restaurants and businesses in the Austin area to purchase items such as televisions and smart watches. Authorities confirmed that neither Hernandez nor Vasquez are licensed nurses with the Texas Board of Nursing.
Investigators believe Hernandez and Vasquez operated across Central Texas, from Georgetown to Kyle, specifically targeting elderly individuals. Both suspects also had multiple outstanding warrants from other area agencies for similar offenses.
HCSO CID obtained multiple warrants for Hernandez and Vasquez, including:
On May 8th, the Austin Police Department arrested Hernandez and Vasquez, and the Hays County warrants were served at the Travis County Jail. Gina Hernandez remains in custody in Travis County with a total bond of $214,000 for the HCSO charges. Elsa Vasquez was released on a total bond of $22,000 for the HCSO charges.
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office encourages residents to be cautious of visits from unknown individuals and advises them to request a patrol deputy’s response to any suspicious persons or activity by calling (512) 393-7896. Authorities believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward and urge anyone with information related to this case to contact Detective Jessica Barkley at jessica.barkley@hayscountytx.gov.
