Nancy Romero, a 46-year-old resident of Long Beach, California, was tragically shot and killed on July 11, 2019. The incident occurred in the 300 block of Magnolia Boulevard, near the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, Romero sustained fatal gunshot wounds to her back. She was discovered lying on the sidewalk and was quickly transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The shooting took place early in the morning, around 8 a.m., as people were beginning to arrive at the courthouse. Residents in the area noted that Romero often took walks in the neighborhood, and a small memorial was set up at the site of the shooting, highlighting her kind nature.
The investigation into Romero's death revealed that the shooter was a white man in his early 30s who fled the scene on foot. The Long Beach Police Department identified the suspect as John Jay Osborne, Romero's boyfriend, who was 31 years old at the time. Osborne and Romero had been dating for about six months, and the relationship was described as tumultuous. On the morning of the shooting, the couple had a heated argument at their home on Daisy Avenue. Romero decided to leave, but Osborne, armed with a handgun, followed her. Surveillance footage captured the couple walking around the block before Osborne shot Romero in the back. The bullet traveled through her lung and heart, causing her death.
Five days after the incident, Osborne turned himself in to the Long Beach Police Department, accompanied by his attorney. He was arrested on suspicion of murder and held on $2 million bail. The case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, and Osborne was charged with first-degree murder. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Osborne shot Romero out of anger and frustration when he realized she was not going to return home with him. Osborne claimed that the argument stemmed from his suspicion that Romero was using methamphetamine and that he fired the gun in a moment of emotional distress.
In addition to Osborne's arrest, several other individuals were implicated in the case. Joshua Osborne, John Osborne's brother, and Yesenia Cisneros, Joshua's spouse, were arrested for providing aid to John Osborne with the intent of helping him avoid arrest and prosecution. They were both charged with being accessories after the fact and held on $1 million bail each. Similarly, Pamela Osborne and David Miller were also arrested and charged with being accessories after the fact for their involvement in assisting John Osborne.
Ultimately, John Jay Osborne was convicted of first-degree murder by a Long Beach Superior Court jury in November 2019. In March 2023, he was sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison for the fatal shooting of Nancy Romero. The case was described as an isolated incident of domestic violence, and it highlighted the tragic consequences of such conflicts. Romero's death left a profound impact on her family, including her sister Iris, a homicide detective, and her son, who mourned the loss of a beloved mother and sister.
