Authorities have arrested Keniel Diaz-Romero, a murder suspect indicted for the shooting of Weymouth High School student Nathan Paul in February 2022. Paul, 17, was fatally shot on February 15, 2022. Diaz-Romero, along with another individual, was charged with murder and other related charges in May 2022.
After the shooting, Diaz-Romero fled to Puerto Rico, where he was recently taken into custody by authorities. He is being held until his arraignment in Norfolk Superior Court, scheduled for Tuesday.
According to an affidavit, the incident occurred during a drug deal in which Diaz-Romero, Harris, and four unidentified juveniles attempted to rob Paul. Paul’s brother stated that he and his brother sold marijuana, including single-use THC bars. The group met Paul in Quincy’s Germantown neighborhood, where they exchanged counterfeit money for THC bars. When Paul realized the money was fake, he tried to chase them down but was unsuccessful.
Later that evening, Diaz-Romero, Harris, and at least two other teens met up again near the initial meeting spot. Paul spotted them and allegedly almost hit them with his car. Harris then allegedly yelled “shoot him,” prompting Diaz-Romero to fire two shots at Paul’s SUV, hitting him in the leg. Paul drove away but crashed his vehicle less than a mile down the road, succumbing to internal bleeding.
In July 2022, four juveniles were charged in connection with the botched drug deal. One of them was charged with accessory after the fact of murder. Diaz-Romero had previously quit his job and left a note for his mother before fleeing to Puerto Rico.
The arrest of Diaz-Romero marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation into Nathan Paul’s murder.
