Lodi Man Charged with Murder After Fatal Hoboken Shooting

Hoboken, NJ – A 26-year-old man from Lodi has been charged with murder following a fatal shooting at Hoboken’s waterfront on February 1, 2025. According to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, Erick Fernandez is accused of fatally shooting Julio Flores, 23, of Passaic, in a restricted area near Castle Point Skate Park.

The investigation began after the Lodi Police Department received multiple tips regarding a possible homicide and contacted Hoboken authorities on February 2. Over the next four days, detectives confirmed that Fernandez fled the scene with Flores’ personal belongings and allegedly returned to dispose of the victim’s body in the Hudson River. Extensive water searches are ongoing to recover the remains.

A warrant was issued for Fernandez’s arrest on February 6. At the time, he was already in custody in Garfield on an unrelated charge. Fernandez faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, felony murder, robbery, and several weapons offenses. He is currently held at Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his initial court appearance.

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office is collaborating with multiple law enforcement agencies in this investigation, including Hoboken, Lodi, Hawthorne, Garfield, and Stevens Institute of Technology Police Departments, along with New Jersey State Police and the NYPD.