The Las Cruces Police Department reports that Officer Jonah Hernandez was stabbed to death by Suspect Armando Silva when Officer Hernandes contacted him regarding a trespassing complaint. Suspect Silva was then shot and killed by Good Samaritan bystander.
Authorities have not announced if the Good Samaritan will be charged with a crime.
Las Cruces Police Department Press Release
February 13 at 1:48 PM
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Police ID Suspect Responsible for Officer’s Death
The man believed to be responsible for the death of Las Cruces Police Department Officer Jonah Hernandez has been identified.
Armando Silva, 29, is the man police believe stabbed and killed Hernandez after the officer responded to a trespassing call Sunday, Feb. 11, at 355 S. Valley Drive.
Las Cruces police Chief Jeremy Story made the announcement during a news conference Tuesday at Las Cruces City Hall.
“We, as a law enforcement agency, are still trying to process the sudden and senseless death of one of our officers,” said Story. “This isn’t something you practice or are accustomed to.
“Officer Jonah Hernandez was a compassionate and dedicated officer who was out doing his job while most of us were watching the Super Bowl. Jonah was attacked while making contact with the subject of a trespassing call. This sudden and unprovoked attack took the life of an officer, a husband, a father, brother, son, a friend, and a great young man.”
The investigation has revealed that, after stabbing officer Hernandez, Silva tried attacking a bystander who witnessed the unprovoked attack on Hernandez. That witness retrieved his own firearm, shot and killed Silva.
Hernandez was transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.
Police have no plans to name the witness until the investigation is complete. And, at this point of the investigation, police do not anticipate recommending charges against the witness.
Once police complete the investigation, facts of the case will be presented to the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office for review and determination if any charges are warranted.
Officer Jonah Hernandez is survived by his wife, Yesenia Lopez, and two sons: Sebastian Jonah, 10, and 2-year-old Joaquin Leonel. Hernandez was from El Monte, Calif., and grew up in El Paso, Texas. He was a 2006 graduate of Americas High School.
Hernandez served as a Las Cruces Police Department officer since June 2022.
Funeral arrangements for Jonah Hernandez have yet to be finalized.
The Las Cruces Police Officers Association, the union that represents LCPD officers, has established a GoFundMe account and a local deposit account for donations on behalf of the family of officer Jonah Hernandez. Details of both fundraising accounts can be found on the Las Cruces Police Department’s Facebook page.