Human Remains Found On Hoboken Waterfront Identified As Murder Victim: Prosecutor

HOBOKEN, NJ — Human remains found on Hoboken's central waterfront have been identified as a man who was allegedly shot on the riverfront in February, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The Hudson County DNA Laboratory issued a report on Wednesday identifying the remains as those of Julio Flores, 23, of Passaic, whom prosecutors had said was shot to death on the waterfront on Feb. 1.

Erick Fernandez, 26, of Lodi was arrested on Feb. 6 and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Flores' death, prosecutors had announced earlier.

According to a police complaint filed in February, Fernandez traveled to the area of the Hoboken skate park with Fernandez on Feb. 1, then forced him to walk onto a pier that had been fenced off.

Fernandez shot Flores to death, then took the victim's car and drove it to Bergen County, according to the complaint. Later, he got a ride from Lodi back to Hoboken to dispose of Flores' body.

According to the complaint, Fernandez told several people about what he'd done.

The day after the alleged killing, the Lodi Police Department contacted the Hoboken Police Department after receiving multiple tips that a man had been shot the previous day in a restricted area of the waterfront near Castle Point Skate Park, prosecutors said.

When an arrest warrant was issued for Fernandez, he was already in custody at the Garfield Police Department on an unrelated matter, prosecutors said.

On March 23, around 2:15 p.m., the Hoboken Police Department and Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office were notified that a body was found in the Hudson River near Pier C Park, prosecutors said.

Detectives identified the remains as those of an adult male, prosecutors said. Several forensic examinations were conducted to identify him.

The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the head, prosecutors said.

Fernandez remains in custody at the Hudson County Correctional Facility, prosecutors said.

Read prior reporting here: Bergen County Man Returned To Hoboken To Dispose Of Victim's Body