Call to keep Merced murderer in prison after early parole granted
Diane Reid-Romero's body was found in the backyard pool of her home after being stabbed to death by her husband, Rodolfo Romero.
MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Merced leaders are joining a family's plea to keep a killer behind bars.
Rodolfo Romero was granted parole last month after serving 14 years for the brutal murder of his wife.
Now, his fate is in the hands of the governor, who can reject his release.
RELATED: Merced murderer granted early parole, victim's family hoping for Governor Newsom to repeal
The Merced County District Attorney Nicole Silveira, along with Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, sent letters to the governor's office, asking him to stop the parole of Rodolfo Romero.
"Let's be clear about what is happening here; this is justice cut short," said Nicole Silveira.
"Diane's killer denied her the pleasure of being a mom and watching her two sons grow into the men they are today," said Soria.
Romero has served just 14 years of his sentence of 16 years to life for stabbing his wife Diane to death, then putting her body in the backyard swimming pool in 2010.
Their sons, now grown men, were asleep.
Diane was a well-known and beloved teacher at Peterson Elementary School.
The September decision comes a year and a half after Romero was denied parole.
On Tuesday, Action News asked Silveira if she thought that an additional 18 months was enough time for a person to change.
She responded, "When we look at the fact that there was a history of violence that had gone unreported. There was a lot of stuff going on in that home that no one knew about, and it culminated in this heinous act. When we look at the circumstances in this case and any efforts on his part in his behavior in making society safe."
The family is now preparing for a trip to Sacramento to meet with Governor Newsom, the next step in their mission to stop Romero's parole.
They say cutting justice short like this would cut open a wound that can never be fully healed.
Diane's son Joe said, "As a teacher and a friend to many, my mother's murder has left a scar on the city that will be felt throughout my lifetime."
Governor Newsom's office is working with the family to schedule a meeting. There's no word yet on when that could happen.
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