Jury finds Temecula man guilty in Riverside County's first fentanyl-related murder trial
Vicente David Romero, 34, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2020 death of Kelsey King.
MURRIETA, Calif. (KABC) -- A jury found a Temecula man guilty of murder in the 2020 fentanyl-related death of a 26-year-old woman - a first-of-its-kind verdict in the state of California.
Vicente David Romero, 34, was found guilty of second-degree murder Thursday in the death of Kelsey King. Prosecutors said Romero knowingly supplied King with fentanyl in June 2020.
She died after ingesting half a pill while she was with him, they said.
"Today, our office has successfully provided justice to a victim's family by securing the first-ever guilty verdict by a jury in a fentanyl-related homicide trial in the state of California," said Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin. "DDA Jerry Pfohl not only demonstrated that the law can be upheld in a fentanyl-related murder case but also established a precedent for future cases. This verdict is a testament to our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities, providing justice for victims, and holding those accountable who engage in the distribution of illicit fentanyl resulting in death."
This is the first of 23 active homicide cases in Riverside County related to fentanyl poisonings to go to trial. It's considered a landmark case in the state in which a person who knowingly supplied fentanyl was convicted of murder.
Authorities said during the five-day trial, the prosecution called 10 witnesses to testify and showed body camera footage in which Romero said he gave and split a pill known as a "blue" (also known as M30) with King, which he knew to contain fentanyl.
In an open plea to the court prior to the trial, Romero admitted to five additional charges, including possession of drugs while armed, being a convicted felon and drug addict in possession of a firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Romero is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6 and faces up to 15 years to life in prison. The additional charges carry of sentence of up to six years and eight months in prison.
