In a shocking turn of events, a father named Jordan Thomas Piper has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his 11-year-old son, Roman Lopez, in Placerville in 2020. The father was also accused of child abuse. Previously scheduled for next week, the preliminary hearing to determine if Piper should stand trial has been cancelled. Instead, Piper appeared in court on Thursday and changed his plea to guilty. He is currently in custody and will attend his sentencing hearing on November 21. CBS 13 first reported this unexpected development.
The arrest of Piper and his wife, Lindsay Marie Piper, occurred on February 4, 2021, after Roman’s body was discovered in a storage bin in the basement of their Placerville home. Piper has been held without bail since then. Notably, he was also sentenced on Monday to 15 years in prison in a separate federal case for sexually exploiting a girl between 2019 and 2020.
The tragic incident began when Roman was reported missing from his home on January 11, 2020. Authorities later found his lifeless body inside the storage bin, leading to the arrest of Piper and his wife. They were charged with second-degree murder and child abuse likely to cause serious injury or death. Additionally, a criminal complaint revealed that they were charged with causing cruel and extreme pain for sadistic purposes and revenge. Piper faced an additional count of failing to provide proper care for his son, while his wife faced a separate count of poisoning.
It remains unclear if Piper has pleaded guilty to the child abuse charges. Records did not indicate a change in his plea for those charges. Lindsay Piper had previously changed her plea to no contest and received a sentence of 15 years to life in prison. As for Jordan Piper, while his son’s death was being investigated, law enforcement found evidence of him secretly recording explicit videos of an underage girl. This led to his conviction for federal child sexual exploitation.
The defense attorney, Tasha Paris Chalfant, described the family’s situation, stating that Piper was the sole provider for his family, which included his wife, biological son, stepchildren, and foster children. Chalfant explained that her client experienced significant financial and personal stress and turned to nonprescription drugs and alcohol. She emphasized his remorse and shame for his actions.
During Piper’s federal sentencing, the judge inquired about the pending murder case. The prosecutor provided limited information, mentioning that Piper’s son had been exposed to excessive salt levels, which ultimately caused his death.
