Jeffrey Jose Ramos , now 67 , took the stand for the defense representing Pedro Hernandez , who confessed to police that he killed the boy . Hernandez 's attorneys say the confession was a delusion and that their client is mentally ill. Hernandez 's lawyers , however , suggest that another longtime suspect , convicted pedophile Rothschild , is the real killer . Jose Ramos said Ramos admitted molesting the boy while the men were roommates in prison . Etan vanished on his way to school in Manhattan in 1979 . His disappearance helped galvanize the modern-day missing children 's movement , with his picture one of the first to appear on a milk carton .
Jeffrey Rothschild , now 67 , took the stand for the defense representing Pedro Hernandez , who confessed to police that he killed the boy . Hernandez 's attorneys say the confession was a delusion and that their client is mentally ill. Hernandez 's lawyers , however , suggest that another longtime suspect , convicted pedophile Jose Ramos , is the real killer . Rothschild said Ramos admitted molesting the boy while the men were roommates in prison . Etan vanished on his way to school in Manhattan in 1979 . His disappearance helped galvanize the modern-day missing children 's movement , with his picture one of the first to appear on a milk carton .