‘The Gun Just Went Off’: Jury to Weigh Green Bay-Area Murder Case Against Man Who Told Police His Drugs Came From Mexico’s CJNG
Testimony ended Sept. 30, 2026, in the Oconto County, Wisconsin, murder trial of Manuel Antonio Herrera-Hernandez. He is the 37-year-old man who, according to court records cited by WBAY, told investigators his drugs came from the “New Generation Drug Cartel” in Mexico. The shooting took place in 2021 at a wildlife area in Little Suamico, just north of Green Bay. Prosecutors say he admitted to it, and jurors are due to hear closing arguments Thursday, WBAY reported.
What prosecutors allege
Herrera-Hernandez is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, drug offenses and bail jumping. The victim is identified in court only by the initials “M.G.P.” He was found on Feb. 22, 2021, near Lade Beach Road in the Green Bay Shores State Wildlife Area, FOX 11 reported on Sept. 23. He had been shot in the left arm, chest, back and both sides.
According to the 2021 criminal complaint, as reported by WBAY, Herrera-Hernandez told Oconto County investigators he picked the man up in Green Bay and drove him to the remote area. He said the man owed him drug money, and that during a struggle over a gun “the gun just went off.” Prosecutors say he admitted leaving without calling 911 because he believed the man could call for help himself.
The cartel link
Police arrested him on May 17, 2021, during a Brown County drug investigation, WBAY reported at the time. Investigators seized 1,812 grams of methamphetamine, plus heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. According to the complaint, he told investigators the drugs “had been sent to him from the ‘New Generation Drug Cartel’ out of Mexico.” That name refers to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). That drug case is still pending in Brown County, with a status conference set for October.
WBAY also reported in 2021 that federal records show Herrera-Hernandez was deported to Mexico in 2013 after drug and firearm convictions in Virginia. He later served federal prison time for illegal re-entry.
Where the trial stands
According to WBAY, the prosecution relied heavily on recorded audio and transcripts, presented through a retired special agent. The defense called at least one expert witness. Herrera-Hernandez chose not to testify. The judge denied a defense motion to dismiss the case.
Sources
- WBAY, “Both sides rest in murder trial of suspected Mexican cartel member in Oconto County,” Sept. 30, 2026.
- WBAY, “Jury chosen for murder trial of suspected Mexican drug cartel member,” Sept. 23, 2026.
- FOX 11 News (Brian Kerhin), “Trial begins for suspect charged in Little Suamico drug-deal murder case,” Sept. 23, 2026.
- WBAY, “Criminal complaint details homicide charge against suspected cartel member,” June 7, 2021.
- Photos: Oconto County Jail and WLUK/Tim Flanigan, via FOX 11 News.
Reported Sept. 30, 2026, from the local news reports listed above. The Narco Blog has not reviewed the court records. Herrera-Hernandez has not been convicted in either case and is presumed innocent. The cartel link rests on his own reported statement to investigators; no court has found that he worked for the CJNG. No verdict had been reached at the time of writing.