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Prints of boy accused of killings found on box of cartridges

Reported by: Christina Boomer
Email: cboomer@abc15.com
Reported by: Brent Roulier
Reported by: Lori Jane Gliha
Last Update: 2/12/2009 11:06 am

	Prints of boy accused of killings found on box of cartridges
	UPDATED: St. Johns murder reports released; new info. about boy
	St. Johns murder reports released; new info. about boy

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Major developments have been revealed in the case of a 9-year-old child accused of murdering two people, including his father, in St. Johns.

The child was age 8 when police in the rural Arizona community of St. Johns say he used a .22 caliber “chipmunk” bolt action rifle to kill his father, Vincent Romero, and Tim Romans, who was renting a room at the home. The murders happened in November.

Autopsy reports revealed the Romero was shot four time; Romans was shot six times.

Now, a new scientific examination report released by the Arizona Department of Public Safety has found the following:

1) Two prints found on a box of 22-caliber cartridges were identified as the left ring fingerprints of the boy.

2) The crime lab tested a pair of boxer briefs and t-shirt for semen, following a potential lead about sexual abuse, but found nothing.

3) Chemical testing indicated the presence of blood on the master bedroom toilet, however, an actual sample was not collected.

4) Of the nine bullets fired and one metal fragment found, two could be positively identified as having been fired from the rifle police say the boy used to kill both men.

Police investigative reports also revealed interviews with family friends, neighbors and school workers who knew the victims and the boy.

In one supplemental report filed by Det. David Cates and Sgt. Jennifer Pinnow, one uncle said he overheard the boy threaten his own father.

According to the report, "[The uncle] overheard [the boy] say, 'One day I'm going to kill him.' [The uncle] told Vincent [Romero] what [the boy] said, and Vincent responded by slapping [the boy]. The date of the incident remained undetermined."

Later in the supplemental report detectives learned, "the two cell phones belonging to Romero and Romans contained photographs, which had been accessed by DPS Computer Forensics Unit (CFU) personnel... Vincent's telephone contained a photograph of a young boy, displaying what appeared to be a black eye."

However, according to the reports, the identity of the young boy remained unclear.

In a separate supplement filed by Det. James Anderson and Sgt. M. Livingston, an interview with a "very close" cousin revealed "during a game of horse shoes at his family reunion on August 2, 2008, [the cousin] heard [the boy] tell his dad 'I'll shoot you' or 'I'll kill you dad.' [The cousin] stated he said it in anger. He said after [the boy] said it he ran off. [The cousin] said Vince told [the boy], 'How dare you say that.' [The cousin] did not recall anything that happned after that. [The cousin] stated that was the only time he had ever seen [the boy] act like that."

In the same report, the detective reported the estranged husband of the boy's biological mother stated "he had never seen [the boy] yell, scream, or throw a tantrum." He described the boy as "a 'good kid'. He stated [the boy] is 'Very, very, very intelligent.'"

A supplement filed by Det. Dennis Milius and Sgt. Dave Brevik revealed a neighbor "believed [the boy] to be a very polite boy and always showed her respect."

A supplement filed by Sgt. Jennifer Pinnow and Lt. Bruce Campbell stated Pinnow had received a telephone call from DPS Detective Michell Vasey from the Gang and Immigration Intelligence Teame Enforcement Mission.

"Vasey stated she contacted the SCTPD who said Tim Romans had been arrested and was known to be a mid-level drug dealer. He had several people who dealt methamphetamine for him at the street level. One of those people...stated a week prior to the shooting Tim called her saying someone wanted to kill him."