Trial Begins for Convicted Felon Accused of Fentanyl Homicide as Jury Begins Deliberations

Jury deliberations commenced on Wednesday in the trial of Vicente David Romero, a convicted felon accused of providing a lethal dose of fentanyl to Kelsey King. This case marks Riverside County’s first fentanyl murder trial to be heard by a jury.

Romero, 34, faces charges of murder, possession of controlled substances while armed, being a felon in possession of a loaded gun, and possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with King’s death in 2020.

The prosecution and defense concluded their closing statements on Wednesday afternoon. Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Freer then sent the jurors behind closed doors at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta to review the evidence presented during the four-week trial. The jury deliberated briefly before adjourning for the day, with deliberations scheduled to resume on Thursday morning.

Romero is currently held at the Byrd Detention Center on $1 million bail.

Among the numerous defendants charged in fentanyl-related deaths in the county, Romero’s case is the first to go to trial for murder.

Romero and King were acquaintances. According to the prosecution’s trial brief, they encountered each other in Temecula on June 16, 2020, both seeking to get high.

Prosecutors allege that Romero, a reputed drug dealer, had multiple fentanyl-laced M-30 pills, known as “blues,” in his backpack on the day of their meeting.

During an interview with sheriff’s detectives, Romero admitted that he and King went to a location on Jefferson Avenue, beneath Interstate 15, where he crushed one of the pills and snorted the contents using a straw. King then snorted the other half of the pill. Both individuals initially felt better and laughed for approximately five minutes. However, Romero claimed that he started sweating and feeling strange. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was looking at his face on his phone camera.

When Romero woke up several hours later, he found King unconscious, lying face down with her buttocks in the air. He attempted to wake her up but realized she was cold to the touch.

Seeking help, Romero walked several blocks to a Chevron gas station on Rancho California Road and asked the attendant to call 911. He then began vomiting uncontrollably.

Deputies arrived at the Chevron and questioned Romero, discovering a loaded handgun and five “blues” in his backpack after confirming that he was on probation. Romero informed them about King’s location, leading a patrol unit to find the deceased woman shortly after 9 p.m.

Romero was taken to Temecula Valley Hospital, where he received treatment for fentanyl ingestion as well as methamphetamine.

An autopsy conducted by the Riverside County Coroner’s Office revealed that King’s cause of death resulted from the combined effects of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.

During conversations with detectives, Romero allegedly accepted responsibility for King’s death, stating, “It’s on me because I gave her the pills.” He acknowledged that while King had never used fentanyl before, she had consumed heroin.

Court records indicate that Romero has prior convictions for assault, unlawful intercourse with a minor, and burglary.

In 2020, there were 503 confirmed fentanyl-related fatalities in Riverside County, compared to just under 400 in 2019. This represents a 200-fold increase since 2016, when there were only two such deaths. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is primarily manufactured in overseas labs, particularly in China. Cartels smuggle the drug across the U.S.-Mexico border. Fentanyl is 80-100 times more potent than morphine and can be mixed into various street drugs and prescription medications without the user’s knowledge. Ingesting as little as two milligrams can be fatal. Shockingly, fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.