On December 29, 2025, Dominga Romano, a 55-year-old woman, was found deceased in her Methuen, Massachusetts, home on Lyndale Avenue. Concerns arose after friends and family had not heard from Romano, a beloved Spanish teacher at Lawrence High School, prompting a request for a welfare check. When police arrived, they were met by her 26-year-old son, Anthony Nunez-Romano, who lived with her.
Nunez-Romano initially told officers that a stray bullet had come through a window and struck his
mother in the back. He was reportedly hesitant to allow police into the residence. Upon entering, investigators discovered Dominga Romano's body in an upstairs bedroom. Her body was cold to the touch with signs of rigor mortis, her face was wrapped in paper towels, and she was covered with a comforter. Investigators noted she had suffered gunshot wounds to her neck and hip.
The police investigation uncovered evidence at the scene that contradicted Nunez-Romano's account. Officers found bullet holes in the walls on the first floor, spent 9mm shell casings, and a 9mm Glock pistol hidden in a kitchen drawer. Court documents later revealed that Nunez-Romano had a history of mental health challenges, including recent diagnoses of schizophrenia and autism, and that police had been called to the home before for mental health evaluations. Family members told investigators that Nunez-Romano had been pressuring his mother to sign the house over to him and that she had seemed scared of him.
Anthony Nunez-Romano was arrested and charged with the murder of his mother. He was also charged with illegal possession of a firearm and defacing the serial number on a firearm. During his arraignment in Lawrence District Court, he pleaded not guilty to all charges and was ordered held without bail. The courtroom was filled with emotion as devastated family members reacted to the proceedings. A probable cause hearing was scheduled for February 20, 2026.
