METHUEN, MASS. (WHDH) – A 26-year-old man was charged with shooting and killing his mother at their Methuen home Monday.
Anthony Nunez-Romano, 26, of Methuen, was arraigned Tuesday morning for the murder of his mother, Dominga Romano, 55, of Methuen, the Office of Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker announced. Nunez-Romano was also charged with possessing a firearm without a firearm identification card, and defacing the serial number of a firearm.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Prosecutors said police conducted a well-being check on Romano at approximately 5 p.m. Monday after concerned friends had not heard from her. Officers said Nunez-Romano was at the house when they arrived and they questioned him.
“The defendant began to explain a bullet came through a window and Miss Romano had been shot in the back,” Prosecutor Paige Timko said.
Investigators searched the home and found Romano dead in an upstairs bedroom. Police said they recovered a 9mm Glock, saw holes in the walls, and found shell casings.
“Officers observed that the female’s face was wrapped in paper towels and the body was wrapped in a comforter,” Timko said. “As soon as officers removed the comforter they found signs of rigor mortis.”
Romano taught Spanish at Lawrence High School and was a well-known volunteer in the community.
“She would come into work everyday, cheer everybody up and just be a lovely woman,” one of Romano’s co-workers said.
Court paperwork revealed Nunez-Romano was diagnosed with schizophrenia and autism; investigators said he had been trying to coerce his mother to sign over the house to him.
Police had been called to the home previously, after which they sent Nunez-Romano for mental health evaluations.
Nunez-Romano was ordered held without bail. He is scheduled to return to court for a probable cause hearing on February 20.
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