Investigators urge alleged murderer of WNY man to surrender after search extends to Florida

WEST NEW YORK — Investigators still need the public’s help in a nationwide search to track down a fugitive they allege is the man who killed 23-year-old Spencer Hernandez of West New York a few weeks ago.
According to Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio, investigators acted upon information they received regarding the whereabouts of the man implicated in the murder, Arthur Silva, 20, of Cliffside Park, but by the time they reached his hotel room in Miami Beach, Fla., Silva was gone.
“He is considered dangerous,” said DeFazio. “We consider him to be a fugitive.”
Hernandez was killed by a single shot in the back on Oct. 7 after he was lured outside of his home by a phone call in the early hours of the morning.
According to DeFazio, Silva and Hernandez, who was reportedly arrested and pled guilty to drug charges earlier this year, were acquaintances prior to the murder.
Investigators have said that an incident that occurred earlier in the evening involving Hernandez’s younger brother breaking into a car and robbing a purse may be related to the motive of the murder.
Silva is also charged with attempting to murder two other people who were with Hernandez, but investigators have not released those names.
Investigators have also been speaking with two unnamed women connected with the case, but DeFazio has said that they have not been charged.
According to DeFazio, detectives from the Hudson County Prosecutors Office, the police department in Miami, and U.S. Marshals took part in the raid of the Florida hotel room last week.
In response to questions about rumors that had been circulating on social networking sites for weeks regarding Silva’s whereabouts, DeFazio said that it is more helpful for people to call the authorities directly with any information instead of getting involved with those sites.
“Sometimes people do have information before we do [and] we would appreciate their help,” said DeFazio.
Investigators believe that people who are close to Silva may have gotten word about where he is and are urging those people to come forward.
Silva’s last known address is on Palisades Avenue in Cliffside Park, but prior to that he was a Hudson County resident.
DeFazio added that investigators are encouraging Silva to come forward on his own and surrender, which DeFazio said could help avoid a potentially dangerous situation.
According to DeFazio, Silva would be able to turn himself in at any law enforcement agency in the country.
Anyone with information on the murder or the whereabouts of Arthur Silva should call the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Squad at (201) 915-1345.