Police have confirmed the discovery of an Arizona woman’s body in the trunk of a car in California following a forced home entry by her estranged boyfriend. Christi Romero, 54, was reported missing before being found dead more than 550 miles from her Holbrook, Arizona residence.
Richard Rodriguez, 34, was apprehended in California on murder charges relating to Romero’s disappearance and death. Romero had previously taken out a restraining order against Rodriguez, who was forcefully removed from their shared home on November 2, as per Holbrook police.
The Holbrook Police Department had visited Romero’s residence several times for domestic disputes, with the last reported incident occurring on November 1. Romero had expressed fear for her safety and her property. By the following day, evidence of a break-in was discovered at her home, and both she and her car were missing, prompting a nationwide search.
Rodriguez, who had been residing in a shelter following the issuance of the restraining order, became the primary suspect in Romero’s disappearance. According to police, he allegedly invaded her home and abducted her at gunpoint; her 9mm handgun was reported missing from the scene.
The case broke when Huntington Beach police were called to a family disturbance at Rodriguez’s parents’ house, where Romero’s body was subsequently found in a vehicle’s trunk. Her death has prompted a wave of grief from her family, who have started a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses and the repatriation of her remains.
The police investigation was aided by phone data tracking, which placed the car on a trajectory towards California. The tragic outcome brings closure to the search for Romero but begins a legal process for Rodriguez, now facing charges in a case crossing state lines. Romero’s loved ones express a desire to see her “home and laid to rest.”
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