On April 27, 2023, the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office responded to a welfare check in the 3100 block of West Aire Drive in Springfield, Illinois, after callers reported they had not heard from the 64-year-old female resident, Donna Romine, for several days and were concerned.
Upon arrival, deputies were unable to make contact at the residence but saw a subject down inside the residence. They entered the home and found Donna Romine deceased.
The Sangamon County Coroner identified the victim as Donna Romine and determined that she died from a single gunshot wound.
The death was immediately considered suspicious, and the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and the Coroner’s Office began a homicide investigation. A family member, Richard D. Romine, 34, Donna's son, was quickly identified as a person of interest. Detectives located Richard at approximately 1 a.m. on Friday, April 28, and attempted a traffic stop on his vehicle. However, he fled, leading to a short pursuit before pulling into a driveway. Richard refused to exit the vehicle but eventually threw an AR-15 rifle out the window and surrendered. Due to a medical event, he was transported to the hospital where he remained under guard.
Richard D. Romine was formally arraigned on May 3, 2023, on multiple charges, including three counts of first-degree murder, one count of concealment of a homicidal death, one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding a peace officer. He is being held at the Sangamon County Jail with a bond set at $2 million. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 11, 2023.
The investigation and legal proceedings are ongoing, with potential penalties for Richard D. Romine including a sentence of 45 years to life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder.
