In the quiet of Pickens County, Georgia, a grim discovery was made on Friday, March 20, 1981, shattering the peace of the community. Concerns arose when Avilla R. Romine, a 50-year-old woman, failed to show up for her carpool. Her concerned friends, unable to reach her by phone, contacted a local reverend for help. Upon entering the Romine residence through an unlocked front door, he found a scene of violence.
Avilla's husband, Roy Lee Romine, 48, was found deceased in the kitchen, having been shot in the back. Avilla was discovered in the bedroom, also the victim of a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly focused on a suspect close to the victims: their son, Larry Romine. At the time, Larry's life was reportedly marked by personal struggles, including a recent separation from his wife and a lifestyle that caused friction with his parents. An argument with his father the weekend before the murders was noted by investigators. The day of his parents' deaths, Larry had spent the night at a motel with a female companion.
Evidence at the scene and uncovered during the investigation began to paint a clearer picture of the events. Two. 16 gauge shotgun waddings were recovered from the home, one from the kitchen and one from the bedroom. These were later matched to a shotgun owned by Larry's companion. Further investigation revealed that a paycheck Avilla had received on the day of her murder was missing, along with her purse. Suspicion mounted when Larry was observed burning the contents of a box in a trash barrel on Monday, March 23. The remains of his mother's purse were later found in that same barrel, and her paycheck was found in his possession.
The motive for the killings was determined to be robbery. Larry Romine was subsequently arrested and indicted for the murders of his parents and the armed robbery of his mother. His trial concluded with a jury finding him guilty on all counts. In April 1982, he was sentenced to death. The legal journey that followed was lengthy and complex. The Georgia Supreme Court reversed his initial death sentence in June 1983. However, he was resentenced to death in August 1985. His case continued through the appeals process for many years, including a federal appeal filed in 1996 challenging the fairness of his trial.
