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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





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.