LAS CRUCES, NM — A man who fatally stabbed a police officer in southern New Mexico last weekend had a long record of convictions for violent crimes, authorities said Tuesday.
The death of Las Cruces Patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez was the first on-duty death of officers in the city’s police department’s 96-year history, officials said.
“We will forever mourn the loss of our brother,” Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story said at a news conference Tuesday.
Authorities initially received a call Sunday afternoon that Armando Silva, 29, was trespassing on private property at a Las Cruces business, Story said.
Hernandez was dispatched without any backup after receiving the call from the property owner. The story goes that Silva attacked Hernandez with a large kitchen knife. A witness grabbed a gun from his car and fatally shot Silva before calling the officer’s radio for help, Story said.
Hernandez, 35, suffered at least one stab wound and died at a local hospital.
The story said Silva had a long history of violent crimes and mental illness.
“He was convicted of serious violent crimes and spent some time in prison,” Story said. “He has violated his probation and parole multiple times.”
Story declined to identify the witness but said police are not recommending charges against him. Prosecutors ultimately make that decision.
Hernandez was a former resident of El Paso, Texas, who had served two years on the Las Cruces Police Department. 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 evening. Funeral services were pending.
Las Cruces is one of New Mexico’s largest cities and was founded in 1928. It is located approximately 220 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and about 47 miles northwest of El Paso.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement Monday that she was “shocked to learn of the murder of a young officer in Las Cruces.”
“This loss is acutely felt by every first responder and their families,” she said.