State prison officials believe the killer who escaped from custody at the courthouse in Delano has left the area. Officials with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Thursday the security risk around the city has been greatly lowered since it’s likely Cesar Hernandez, 34, is no longer in the vicinity. Hernandez escaped from a van, hopped a fence, and disappeared from the parking lot of the Kern County courthouse on Jefferson Street where he was set to appear at a status hearing Monday morning. He was serving time at Kern Valley State Prison for a 2018 murder in Lynwood, CA. The CDCR also says confidentiality of sensitive information prevents them from offering further details about the investigation.