In the early morning hours of August 28, 2025, a fatal argument in a Thornton, Colorado neighborhood claimed the life of 27-year-old Dezmond Johnathan Romero. Adams County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a shooting near East 88th Avenue and Welby Road, where they found Romero with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The male victim’s family described him as the glue that held their family together, a loving and selfless man with a heart for helping others. His parents, John and Desiree, remembered him as a good-hearted person who would give the shirt off his back to help someone in need.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the identification of a suspect. According to the Adams County Sheriff's Office, Dezmond Romero was shot and killed during an argument with Alex Anthony Martinez, 37. Later that same day, Martinez was arrested at his workplace in the nearby city of Commerce. He now faces charges of first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.
The sudden and violent death of Dezmond Romero has left his family and friends reeling. His best friend, Rakay Mathias, who had known him since childhood, described him as a unique and irreplaceable soul. The family, who had already experienced the loss of a daughter more than two decades prior, is now faced with the overwhelming grief of losing their oldest son. They, along with his friends, are determined to keep his memory alive and see that justice is served. His family said he would have turned 28 years old just two weeks after he was killed.
