Man sentenced to 16 years to life for fatal birthday party stabbing

A man who fatally stabbed a 19-year-old man after an argument at a house party was sentenced in January to 16 years to life in prison, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

David Gage Silva, a 22-year-old Latino, was found guilty Dec. 8 of second-degree murder with a knife allegation.

On Oct. 28, 2012, Silva was at a party with two of his cousins, one of whom was friends with Adrian Rosas Morales, who was celebrating his 25th birthday.

About 50 people were at the party in the 13300 block of Sayre Street and at one point, Morales asked Silva to tell the deejay to turn off the music, prosecutors said.

Silva’s conversation with the deejay and his friends then became confrontational. A fight broke out in the garage, and Anthony Hernandez, 19, was stabbed. He staggered to the front of the house with a stab wound to the heart and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Witnesses said that Silva left through the back of the house and walked home when he was told that Hernandez was dying. Silva was also seen trying to throw away a knife and the bloodied green shirt he was wearing at the party.

Silva was sentenced Jan. 28.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz and Paresh Dave