Woman Found Murdered In West Chester

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Woman Found Murdered In West Chester

Reported by: Deb Silverman/ 9News
Web produced by: Neil Relyea
Photographed by: 9News
First posted: 9/25/2006 9:44:41 AM
Last Updated: 9/25/2006 6:58:25 PM

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A woman has been found murdered at a West Chester apartment complex.

Officers found the body of a 24-year-old Jackeline Romero, who had been stabbed to death, at The Trails of West Chester apartment complex at 4557 Wyndtree Drive around 10 p.m. Sunday night.

Police initially didn't identify the victim, but said they did want to talk to the man who was last seen with her, Melvin Raymond Mejia.

Mejia, 39, is also wanted for violating a temporary protection order against Romero, whose name was withheld pending notice of her kin.

Police say Mejia has black hair, brown eyes and is 5''7" tall, weighs 200 pounds.

He was last seen driving a 1998 black, four-door Toyota Camry with Ohio license plates: DKE-8742

Investigators in West Chester say he had a stormy on again, off again relationship with the woman.

Police were sent to her apartment Sunday night after her family reported her missing.

Neighbors are now reporting they heard arguing in the apartment the night before.

Police say Mejia may have fled to another state where he has family.

They won't say where that is, but did say investigators are working to track him down there.

Family members shocked by Romero's death

Family members of a murdered West Chester mother are in disbelief as police search for the victim's husband who's wanted for murder.

The victim's family members say the couple had a rocky on again, off again relationship, but they never thought it would come to this.

Alex Flores says it's awful to watch the pain his parents, his aunts and his uncles are in after the murder of his aunt, Jackeline Romero.

"It just changed our lives forever," Flores told 9News.

Flores' relatives asked him to speak on their behalf because they say his English is the clearest.

He says the family got very worried about his aunt Sunday.

Her husband, Melvin Ramon Mejia, dropped off the couple's five-year-old daughter with family in Fairfield late Saturday night and took off.

They say they tried to reach Mejia and Romero by phone all day Sunday but with no luck, so Sunday night they called police.

That's when police found Romero stabbed to death in her apartment in the Trails of West Chester off of Smith Road.

Neighborrs tell police they heard fighting in the apartment Saturday night.

"It's a concern to us this individual's still out there and could be a potential threat," said Sergeant Steve Oakes, of the West Chester police. "He's definitely a concern to us."

Romero filed a protection order against Mejia in June after he was arrested for domestic violence against her.

But court officials say this order is no longer valid because when Romero didn't show up for court the order and the charges were dropped.

Family members say she wanted to give Mejia a second chance.

But now Romero's family members say they have as many questions for Mejia as police have for him.

"I want to know why he would do something like this," said Flores. "Should know how much pain he's caused our family."

"We just never suspected he'd do anything, because we trusted him so much," said Flores.

If you have any information about this crime, please call Crimestoppers at (513) 352-3040. You don't have to give your name and you may be eligible for a reward if your tips lead to an arrest.

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Family of slain woman talks of rocky marriage
By Cameron Fullam

Staff Writer

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

FAIRFIELD — The family of a slain West Chester Twp. woman said she was in an increasingly abusive marriage and that her husband last week threatened he was "going to do something."

Now, Jackelin Romero is dead and her husband, 39-year-old Melvin Ramon Mejia, is being sought on murder charges.

Late Monday, murder charges were signed against Mejia in connection with his wife's death, according to the West Chester Twp. Police Department.

Sunday night, police found the 24-year-old Romero dead with stab wounds at 4557 Wyndtree Drive, Apt. 152, where she lived.

Late Monday night, police were searching for Mejia, who it is believed fled during the weekend.

Mejia is described as 5-foot-7, 200 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He is reported to be driving a 1998 black Toyota four-door with the license plate DKE 8742, police said.

The couple — parents of a 5-year-old daughter — married in Honduras six years ago and moved to Fairfield in 2001, joining other family members, said Carlos Romero-Flores, Romero's brother, speaking through a translator.

Their relationship was always up and down, he said.

"The way they lived was really rough for them because sometimes they lived together and sometimes they didn't," he said.

Romero had moved from Fairfield to West Chester Twp. a year ago, but she was planning on moving back in two weeks, Flores said.

Mejia verbally mistreated and threatened Romero for the first five years of their marriage, but in the past year began to hurt her physically, Flores said.

West Chester Twp. police arrested Mejia June 24 on a domestic violence charge, according to police records.

Romero filed a restraining order against Mejia two days later, but she failed to follow through in court and the case was closed in July, court officials said.

Flores said Mejia recently became convinced his wife was involved with another man, though he said there was no proof.

On Wednesday, Mejia allegedly told his wife's best friend he was "going to do something," Flores said.

"She reported everything to the police, but she never expected he would do something like kill (Jackelin)," he said.

Family members grew concerned for Romero's safety after Mejia came to their Fairfield apartment complex around 11:40 p.m. Saturday and dropped off his daughter without stopping to talk with anyone.

"He usually comes in and tells her she's going to stay there, but it was different that day. He just left her in the door and just left," Flores said. "And the next day none of them was calling, and nobody was answering their phones either."

The family called police Sunday to report their concern. West Chester Twp. police went to Romero's Wyndtree Drive apartment around 10 p.m. to check on her and found her dead.

Neighbors said they had heard arguing Saturday night inside the residence, but no one called police, said West Chester Twp. Police Sgt. Steve Oakes.

Police believe Mejia may have fled to the South, where he has family. Flores said he believes he is likely in Nashville or Memphis, Tenn.

Romero's daughter is staying with family in Fairfield.


Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5127 or cfullam@coxohio.com.

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Husband sought in slaying
BY JENNIFER BAKER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
WEST CHESTER TWP. -- West Chester police are searching for the husband of a 24-year-old woman stabbed to death over the weekend inside her apartment.

Police said Melvin Raymond Mejia, 39, is wanted for violation of a June temporary protection order involving Jackelin Romero – the mother of his 5-year-old daughter – and for questioning in her death.

Police found Romero dead inside her apartment about 10 p.m. Sunday in the 4500 block of Wyndtree Drive in The Trails of West Chester apartments.


They went to check on her after she was reported missing since about 10 p.m. Saturday.

On Sunday evening, a friend of her sister’s contacted police to say she was missing.

“She left the baby last night,” a man with a heavy Hispanic accent is heard telling a police dispatcher on a 911 tape released today. “She never came back.”

A weapon hasn’t been found.

Police said they believe Mejia has left the state.

“He has fled south,” said Sgt. Steve Oakes, spokesman for West Chester police. “That’s all the information we have.”

Mejia is described as 5-feet 7-inches tall, 200 pounds, and has a black 1998 Toyota four-door vehicle, Ohio license plate DKE-8742.

Romero’s daughter will remain with her family for the time being, Oakes said.

The couple had been having marital problems. Mejia was arrested on June 24 and charged with domestic violence after Romero told police he hit her during an argument, according to police. She suffered injuries to her right thumb and head.

Romero received a temporary protective order against Mejia from Butler County Area III Court in West Chester. He was ordered to stay away from her and not carry any deadly weapons.

That protection order and domestic violence case against Mejia were automatically dropped, however, after Romero failed to appear in court to testify against him, Butler County Area III Court officials said.

It was not clear today whether Mejia can be prosecuted for violating the order.

The stabbing apparently occurred sometime after 2 p.m. Saturday, when neighbors told police they saw Mejia at the apartment and heard arguing inside.

Alex Flores, 14, of Fairfield, the victim’s nephew, spoke for the family.

As he spoke, the family pored over pictures of Romero and her daughter, Gaby, 5.

The family is from Honduras and has been here for years. Alex said the couple was married in 2000 in Honduras and came to the area later that year.

Romero worked full-time checking boxes at a company in Springdale and enjoyed dancing, he said.

“We never thought a tragedy like this would happen,” Alex said. “My aunt was always a happy person.”

Romero refused to testify against her husband, he said.

“She wanted to give him one chance to see if he would change the way he was,” her nephew explained.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com

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Woman bled to death
THE ENQUIRER
WEST CHESTER TWp. -- The 24-year-old woman who was stabbed over the weekend bled to death, according to a preliminary autopsy report issued today by the Butler County coroner.

Other details about Jackelin Romero’s autopsy were not released pending a police investigation.

Her husband, Melvin Ramon Mejia, 39, who remains at large, is charged with murder.

Mejia is an illegal immigrant who should have been deported months ago, according to the Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones.

Police said they suspect Mejia has fled south, likely to Memphis, where he has family.

He is described as 5-feet-7, 200 pounds, and was driving a black 1998 Toyota four-door car, with Ohio license plate DKE-8742.

Yep....illegal immigrant from Honduras.

Death Toll Rising.

Does anyone in the US Government care about the safety and security?

Naaaah, they don't really.

:evil: :evil: :evil:

All these violent crimes committed by these illegals should be sent to senators and congress. If we keep bombarding them with this, then we may accomplish something. This has got to stop. These illegals must be stopped and all sent back. We cannot take any chances.