Southwest
New Mexico man who fatally stabbed officer had extensive criminal record, police say
- Authorities say Armando Silva, who fatally stabbed Las Cruces Patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez on Sunday, had a lengthy criminal record.
- Officer Hernandez’s death marked the first on-duty death in the 96-year history of the Las Cruces Police Department.
- Authorities received a call about Silva trespassing on private property, leading Officer Hernandez to respond without backup.
A man who fatally stabbed a police officer in southern New Mexico over the weekend had a long criminal record, authorities said Tuesday.
The death of Las Cruces patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez marked the first on-duty death among officers in the 96-year-old history of the city’s police department, officials said.
“We will mourn the loss of our brother forever,” Las Cruces police Chief Jeremy Story said at a Tuesday news conference.
NEW MEXICO POLICE OFFICER DIES AFTER BEING STABBED BY A TRESPASSING SUSPECT
Authorities initially received a call Sunday afternoon that Armando Silva, 29, was trespassing on private property at a Las Cruces business, Story said.
Officer Jonah Hernandez signs his oath after graduating from the Las Cruces Police Department’s academy in June 2022. A man who fatally stabbed Hernandez in southern New Mexico over the weekend had a long criminal record, authorities said on Tuesday. (City of Las Cruces, New Mexico via AP)
Hernandez was dispatched without any backup after the call from the property owner. Story said Silva attacked Hernandez with a large kitchen knife. A witness retrieved a gun from his car and fatally shot Silva before calling on the officer’s radio for help, Story said.
Hernandez, 35, suffered a least one stab wound and died at a local hospital.
Story said Silva had a long history of violent crime and mental illness.
“He was convicted of serious violent crimes and spent some time in prison,” Story said. “He violated his probation and parole multiple times.”
Court records show Silva was sentenced in 2017 to three years in prison after pleading guilty in a domestic violence case and, in 2019, he cut off his GPS bracelet and was found to be in possession of drugs.
A public safety assessment filed in early 2023 showed Silva had both prior misdemeanor and felony convictions and had failed to appear in court previously.
Story declined to identify the witness but said police aren’t recommending any charges against him. Prosecutors ultimately make that determination.
SUSPECT ARRESTED AFTER SHOOTING NEW MEXICO POLICE OFFICER IN THE FACE
Hernandez was a former resident of El Paso, Texas, who had served with Las Cruces Police Department for two years. He is survived by his wife and two sons, ages 2 and 10, plus his parents and two siblings, authorities said.
Law enforcement agencies from across New Mexico helped escort Hernandez’s body to El Paso on Monday night. Funeral services were pending.
Las Cruces is one of New Mexico’s largest cities and was founded in 1928. It’s located about 225 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and some 45 miles northwest of El Paso.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement Monday that she was ” horrified to hear of the murder of a young officer in Las Cruces.”
“This loss is felt acutely by every first responder and their families,” she said.
On Tuesday, Lujan Grisham ordered all state flags be lowered to half-staff from Wednesday through sundown of Feb. 19 in honor of Hernandez.
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A woman was hospitalized with serious injuries after she was violently attacked by a robber in downtown Long Beach. On June 18, Jennifer Silva, 34, was attending a World Cup watch party at a Hooters restaurant at 90 Aquarium Way. After the game ended, she left the restaurant just before 11 p.m. As she walked […]
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
Los Angeles, Ca
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