SACRAMENTO-

Family members of Matthew Hernandez packed a Sacramento courtroom and openly wept Friday.

Matthew’s father, Phillip Hernandez, appeared bloodied up as he entered the room. Hernandez is accused to murdering 9-year-old Matthew with a hatchet.

Hernandez was seen with a large gash on his forehead in court.

Sacramento County Sheriff’s Sergeant Jason Ramos told FOX40 that the injuries were self-inflicted by Hernandez while he was in custody at the county’s main jail.

Investigators say Hernandez allegedly broke through a sliding glass door Wednesday and attacked Matthew as he slept on the couch. Matthew’s great-grandmother tried to stop the attack but was knocked out of the way, according to police.

The judged continued Hernandez’s arraignment to March 14.

SACRAMENTO-

Three phrases will likely define Phillip Hernandez for the rest of his life, “the suspect, a man, the father,” said Sacramento Police Officer Michele Gigante.

Phillip Hernandez married Jessica in January 2001. They had two sons. It was the younger boy, 9-year-old Matthew who was allegedly beaten to death with a hatchet by his father Tuesday night.

According to court documents obtained by FOX40, Jessica and Phillip separated in April 2004. It was also in 2004 when Hernandez was arrested on domestic violence charges, pleaded ‘no contest’ and served 120 days of jail time and five years probation.

Hernandez violated his probation and was sent to prison, Deuel Vocational Institute in Tracy, for two years.

During his stay in jail and prison, Jessica had custody of the boys and moved to Nevada. At some point, Phillip gained custody of the boys and enrolled Matthew at Jefferson Elementary in Natomas.

It was in the Natomas home where he lived with his father, older brother and grandmother, that Matthew died Tuesday, allegedly at the hands of his father.

NATOMAS-

A 36-year-old man is under arrest, accused of killing his son in the middle of the night.

Investigators say Phillip Hernandez is responsible for the death of his son, who found inside the family’s Natomas home.

Officers were called to the home after two emergency calls around midnight. The nine-year-old boy was found dead, and had trauma to his head.

Hernandez was found a short time later wandering in the area.

“It’s just horrific, some of the detectives are having a hard time, and more importantly the family is just devastated. So we’re dealing with them, and getting them the resources they need,” said the investigator outside the home.

At this time, there has been no indication of any motive in the death. Hernandez was booked into the Sacramento jail for the charge of murder.