Ariz. boy, 8, accused of killing 2, including dad

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#1
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081108/ap_on_re_us/child_charged

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – An 8-year-old boy is charged with murder in the shooting of his father and another man in a rural community in eastern Arizona, authorities said Friday.

The boy was charged with two counts of premeditated murder in the death of his father, 29-year-old Vincent Romero, and 39-year-old Timothy Romans, St. Johns Police Chief Roy Melnick said.

Police arrived at the home within minutes of the shooting Wednesday, Melnick said. They found one victim just outside the front door and the other dead in an upstairs room.

The boy, who prosecutors say had never been in trouble before, initially denied involvement in the shooting but later confessed, Melnick said.

Police have not said what they think the boy's motive was.

Defense attorney Benjamin Brewer argued Friday that police overreached in questioning the boy without representation from a parent or attorney and did not advise him of his rights.

"They became very accusing early on in the interview," Brewer said. "Two officers with guns at their side, it's very scary for anybody, for sure an 8-year-old kid."

A judge determined at a hearing Friday that there was probable cause to believe the boy committed the killings. He is being held at the Apache County juvenile detention center.

St. Johns is a community of about 4,000 people about 170 miles northeast of Phoenix.
 
May 7, 2013
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#7
12news.com | St. Johns teen who admitted killing dad, roommate in 2008 will walk free

ST. JOHNS TEEN WHO ADMITTED KILLING DAD, ROOMMATE IN 2008 WILL WALK FREE FRIDAY
The case drew national attention as prosecutors and defense attorneys grappled with a fair and reasonable punishment for an 8-year-old boy.
Author:
Kevin Kennedy
Published:
10:12 PM MST December 28, 2017



It is the type of police call that doesn't come in often in the small town of St. Johns. On Nov. 8, 2008 around 5 p.m. there were reports of shots fired and at least one body on the porch of a home.

Police would soon discover two victims had been murdered. Vincent Romero, 29, and his roommate Timothy Romans, 39, had been shot. Romero's 8-year-old son was outside when police arrived.

The boy initially told police he came home and found his father and Romans shot to death. Police didn't know what to think at first. Was this a murder-suicide or did someone else shoot the men?

Detectives would question the boy and eventually learn what few could believe: He was the shooter. The boy confessed that he shot his dad and then Romans.

The case drew national attention as prosecutors and defense attorneys grappled with a fair and reasonable punishment for an 8-year-old boy.

Eventually the boy was charged with negligent homicide in the death of Romans and the charges connected to his father were dropped. He was sentenced to an indefinite stay in a treatment unit until he was ruled eligible for foster care when he was 15.

The boy was evaluated by a psychiatrist when he was 12 and 15 and then later at the age of 17.

On Friday, the boy will turn 18 and sign paperwork that basically allows him to become a free man.

He is no longer subjected to psychological evaluations, travel restrictions, court hearings or monitored by law enforcement.
 
May 7, 2013
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#11
Well how about that! That's our justice system hard at work. I would've put the lil fucker in a juvenile detention center until he turned 18. and then shipped his ass off to jail. Fuck all of that psychological evaluation bullshit! He knew what he was doing!
What if he killed them because he caught them having gay sex or some shit. Like if that was your dad, would you kill him over that? LOL, now I'm not saying that's why he killed them, there was speculation the mother coerced him to do it, but there is also no evidence that supports that either. St. John's is a small ass 2 sq mile town of 3500 people..... I don't even know what to think about the situation but there was also speculation of abuse.