Even though we heard this week that police have yet to find any evidence connecting Pedro Hernandez to the disappearance of Etan Patz and were told the case was fizzling, a grand jury has issued an indictment against Hernandez, a source close to the case has told NBC New York. "Pedro Hernandez is charged with murder and kidnapping," a source close to the case told NBC 4 New York. 

If this is the case, then the people selected on that grand jury believe there's enough evidence to charge Hernandez, even though there hasn't been any new evidence to link Hernandez to the murder of Patz other than his confession in May when Hernandez told police he strangled Patz to death and stuffed the 6-year-old into a box.  Earlier this week,  The New York Post had told us the case was fizzling and police "have yet to find any hard evidence to substantiate a case against him [Hernandez]" even though they've been working at it for six months. So, either Hernandez's loose confession is convincing enough evidence for the grand jury, or there's more evidence that we don't know about.

This trial (if this all happens) this could be a huge step in closing the chapter on Patz's 33-year-old, unsolved case. The spokespeople for the Manhattan District Attorney (basically the people who would confirm the indictment and trial) haven't yet confirmed NBC 4's report. 

Update 1:42 p.m.  The indictment has been made public, and according to the AP's Jennifer Peltz, Hernandez will be in court on Thursday.

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Alexander Abad-Santos