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Who Is Brandon Fernandez & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile

Ryan Gill

Brandon Fernandez is the California man convicted for his role in the 2003 murder of 17-year-old Justine Vanderschoot. Although he did not admit to personally strangling Justine, prosecutors concluded he actively participated in the planning and execution of the crime, helping Daniel Bezemer carry out the murder and bury her body in a pre-dug grave in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Fernandez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2005 and received a sentence of 15 years to life in prison. Since becoming eligible for parole, he has repeatedly sought release through parole hearings and post-conviction legal challenges, all while facing strong opposition from Justine’s family and the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.

His Role in the Murder of Justine Vanderschoot

In September 2003, Brandon Fernandez was living with Daniel Bezemer, Justine Vanderschoot’s boyfriend. Investigators later determined that the two men planned the murder together before carrying it out.

Evidence showed that Bezemer and Fernandez dug a grave in a remote wooded area near Applegate, California, several days before Justine disappeared. The prepared burial site became one of the strongest pieces of evidence demonstrating that the killing had been carefully planned rather than committed in the heat of the moment.

On the night of September 1, 2003, Justine had dinner with her parents before leaving with Bezemer. Prosecutors said Bezemer strangled her, after which Fernandez helped transport her to the remote gravesite and bury her.

The autopsy later revealed dirt in Justine’s lungs and esophagus, indicating she was still breathing when she was buried. The medical findings became one of the most disturbing aspects of the case and played a central role in later court proceedings.

Confession Helped Solve the Case

As detectives investigated Justine’s disappearance, suspicion quickly focused on Bezemer and Fernandez after inconsistencies emerged in their accounts.

On September 17, 2003, FBI Special Agent Jeff Rinek interviewed Fernandez while Placer County Sheriff’s detectives questioned Bezemer separately. During the interview, Fernandez confessed and led investigators directly to Justine’s burial site.

Fernandez told investigators that Bezemer had strangled Justine and that he assisted in burying her. At the same time, Bezemer admitted killing Justine but attempted to portray Fernandez as the driving force behind the crime. Prosecutors later observed that each defendant implicated the other, strengthening the overall case.

Guilty Plea and Prison Sentence

Rather than face trial, Brandon Fernandez accepted a negotiated plea agreement.

In 2005, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years to life in California state prison. Daniel Bezemer pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received a sentence of 25 years to life.

The plea agreements were reached in part to spare Justine’s family the emotional burden of a lengthy murder trial. Although the convictions brought an end to the criminal prosecution, Fernandez became eligible for parole after serving the minimum term of his sentence.

Repeated Attempts to Gain Release

Fernandez first became eligible for parole in 2017. His application prompted strong opposition from the Vanderschoot family, prosecutors and thousands of community members, with more than 22,000 people signing a petition urging parole officials to keep him imprisoned.

The California Board of Parole Hearings denied his release, concluding he remained unsuitable for parole. He has continued to seek release through subsequent parole hearings, but each effort has been unsuccessful.

Following California’s passage of Senate Bill 1437 in 2018, Fernandez pursued another legal avenue by petitioning to have his murder conviction vacated. The law allows certain defendants convicted under felony murder or natural and probable consequences theories to seek resentencing if they neither killed nor intended to kill the victim.

Fernandez argued that he should instead be treated as an accessory after the fact, claiming Daniel Bezemer alone committed the murder and that he only became involved afterward. Prosecutors rejected that argument, maintaining that Fernandez was an active participant in the planning and execution of the crime.

After an evidentiary hearing in May 2024, the court denied Fernandez’s resentencing petition, leaving both his conviction and sentence unchanged.

Where Is Brandon Fernandez Now?

As of July 2026, Brandon Fernandez remains incarcerated in the California state prison system, serving his sentence of 15 years to life for second-degree murder.

He has not been released on parole, and his attempts to overturn or reduce his conviction have been unsuccessful. The Placer County District Attorney’s Office continues to oppose his release, arguing that his participation in the planned murder demonstrates he remains a danger to the community.

The Vanderschoot family continues to attend parole hearings and court proceedings involving Fernandez, saying they will keep advocating on Justine’s behalf. Their campaign, known as Justice for Justine, has become a lasting effort to preserve the sentences imposed in the case while promoting awareness of teen dating violence and supporting stronger protections for victims’ families.

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