Who is Vicente David Romero? Killer sentenced in fentanyl homicide case called 'piece of s**t' by victim's dad in court
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The father of a victim lashed out at his daughter's killer for poisoning her with a fentanyl-laced pill as a 'worthless piece of s**t' at his sentencing in California on Friday, November 3.
Tim King cursed at Vicente David Romero, 34, who is sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after being found guilty of second-degree murder in the June 16, 2020, death of Kelsey King, 26, in Temecula, 85 miles south of Los Angeles.
What did the victim's father say in court?
“How do I tell her children that ‘Your mother is dead because a worthless piece of s— wanted to have sex with her and slipped her poison that killed her within three minutes,'” said Tim King, Los Angeles FOX affiliate KTTV reported.
What did the court judge say during Romero's sentencing?
“It should be known far and wide that the district attorney, that’s Mr. Hestrin, and his deputy, Mr. Pfohl, who prosecuted this case, along with the sheriff’s office, that’s Chad Bianco and the deputies who testified, they will aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals for furnishing fentanyl causing death", Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Freer said while sentencing Romero.
"That should be abundantly clear. They will seek murder charges in this case. They will obtain convictions.”
Romero met King for the first time on the day of the murder
According to prosecutors, Romero met King for the first time on the day of the murder and gave her a pill known as a “blue” or M30.
The perpetrator also acknowledged to investigators that he knew how dangerous fentanyl was and had overdosed on the drug before the crime.
What charges does Romero face?
Romero has admitted to five additional charges, which include possession of drugs while armed, being a convicted felon and drug addict in possession of a firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, prosecutors said.
“Drug-induced homicide is homicide. Today’s sentencing not only reflects the gravity of what happened to Kelsey King but what continues to happen to so many men and women in our community because of the skyrocketing rates of illicit fentanyl sales,” said District Attorney Mike Hestrin according to the outlet.
“Our office is prosecuting the largest volume of fentanyl-related homicides in the state because we firmly believe those who knowingly endanger the lives of others must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”