If you believe strongly in internet freedom and that drugs should be decriminalised / the drugs war is a terrible abomination, you probably think he's more or less a good guy. I think there's simply a large overlap in these two groups. It's somewhat internet related at any rate; the fact that he was found at all could be considered a statement that true freedom of speech may not exist.

(I'm pretty sure Silk Road never allowed assassination, and the similar claims against him personally seem quite dubious and designed to shape opinion.)