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-   -   Town stunned as 8 yr old boy charged with murder of dad & boarder (https://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=100971)

KSUViolet06 11-08-2008 04:19 PM

Town stunned as 8 yr old boy charged with murder of dad & boarder
 
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/11/08/...rss_topstories

FLAGSTAFF, Arizona (AP) -- It's a crime that police officers in a small eastern Arizona community can hardly fathom yet have to deal with: an 8-year-old charged in the fatal shootings of his father and another man.

"Who would think an 8-year-old kid could kill two adults?" St. Johns Police Chief Roy Melnick said Friday.

The crime that unfolded Wednesday evening sent shock waves through St. Johns, a community of about 4,000 people northeast of Phoenix. The boy had no disciplinary record at school, and there was no indication he had any problems at home, prosecutors said.

"It was such a tragedy," said the boy's defense attorney, Benjamin Brewer. "You have two people dead; you have an 8-year-old in jail. It tugs at the heart strings. It's a shocker, no doubt about it."

On Friday, a judge determined there was probable cause to show that the boy fatally shot his father, Vincent Romero, 29, and Timothy Romans, 39, of San Carlos with a .22-caliber rifle. The boy faces two counts of premeditated murder.

OneTimeSBX 11-08-2008 04:59 PM

i just read this a few seconds ago...this gave me chills!

PeppyGPhiB 11-09-2008 01:22 AM

Why wasn't the gun locked up in a safe? The boy shouldn't have had access to it.

Zephyrus 11-09-2008 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB (Post 1742335)
Why wasn't the gun locked up in a safe? The boy shouldn't have had access to it.

I agree with this. I'm surprised the kid didn't accidently shoot himself. That happens quite often.

LightBulb 11-09-2008 08:32 PM

Wow, that's incredibly disturbing.
Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 (Post 1742159)
The boy faces two counts of premeditated murder.

Especially that.

KSigkid 11-09-2008 11:23 PM

Crazy crazy stuff, especially the fact that his father taught him to shoot, at such a young age. I'd be interested how they decided that this was premeditated.

Langox510x 11-12-2008 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 (Post 1742159)
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/11/08/...rss_topstories

FLAGSTAFF, Arizona (AP) -- It's a crime that police officers in a small eastern Arizona community can hardly fathom yet have to deal with: an 8-year-old charged in the fatal shootings of his father and another man.

"Who would think an 8-year-old kid could kill two adults?" St. Johns Police Chief Roy Melnick said Friday.

The crime that unfolded Wednesday evening sent shock waves through St. Johns, a community of about 4,000 people northeast of Phoenix. The boy had no disciplinary record at school, and there was no indication he had any problems at home, prosecutors said.

"It was such a tragedy," said the boy's defense attorney, Benjamin Brewer. "You have two people dead; you have an 8-year-old in jail. It tugs at the heart strings. It's a shocker, no doubt about it."

On Friday, a judge determined there was probable cause to show that the boy fatally shot his father, Vincent Romero, 29, and Timothy Romans, 39, of San Carlos with a .22-caliber rifle. The boy faces two counts of premeditated murder.

It's a real tragedy, but I hear they want to possibly charge this kid as an adult. He's freaking 8 years old. How in the hell can they charge an 8 year old as an adult? Also, I don't know if those two counts of premeditated murder should hold up either.

AnchorAlumna 11-12-2008 12:21 PM

Probably there is a lot that the media haven't been told yet. It will be interesting to hear the whole story. And chilling.

VAgirl18 11-12-2008 02:59 PM

Living in AZ, obviously its all over the news here. Friends of the family and neighbors are adamant that the father/son relationship was fine with no signs of abuse. The boarder in the house it seems was an innocent victim. Seems like a case of a sociopath to me. The news is portraying him as a kid who sat in court with no remorse on his face and said he was twirling around in his chair.

PeppyGPhiB 11-12-2008 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VAgirl18 (Post 1743865)
Living in AZ, obviously its all over the news here. Friends of the family and neighbors are adamant that the father/son relationship was fine with no signs of abuse. The boarder in the house it seems was an innocent victim. Seems like a case of a sociopath to me. The news is portraying him as a kid who sat in court with no remorse on his face and said he was twirling around in his chair.

Or more proof that he's just a kid who doesn't really grasp what a terrible thing he's done and what he's in for.

Tinia2 11-12-2008 05:58 PM

Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar?The best way to interrogate a child.

An 8-year-old Arizona boy charged with murdering his father and another man appeared in court on Monday. Police say the boy confessed to shooting the two men with a .22-caliber gun, but his defense attorneys told reporters that "there could have been improper interview techniques done." What's the "proper" way to interrogate a kid?.....

http://www.slate.com/id/2204374/

PeppyGPhiB 11-12-2008 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinia2 (Post 1743948)
Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar?The best way to interrogate a child.

An 8-year-old Arizona boy charged with murdering his father and another man appeared in court on Monday. Police say the boy confessed to shooting the two men with a .22-caliber gun, but his defense attorneys told reporters that "there could have been improper interview techniques done." What's the "proper" way to interrogate a kid?.....

http://www.slate.com/id/2204374/


jon, do you ever post any original thoughts of your own? You should've changed your screenname to Sir Linksalot.

WVU alpha phi 11-12-2008 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB (Post 1743938)
Or more proof that he's just a kid who doesn't really grasp what a terrible thing he's done and what he's in for.

I'm no psychologist, but from a personal standpoint I don't agree with someone "not understanding" the severity of what they did. By the time you're 8, you know that KILLING someone is not OK. I mean, what child at the age of 2 or 3 isn't taught that it's not OK to hit others, hurt others, etc?

Kevin 11-12-2008 06:29 PM

I blame video games.

Tinia2 11-12-2008 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB (Post 1743949)
jon, do you ever post any original thoughts of your own? .

I do where it it matters. I thought that this article ( http://www.slate.com/id/2204374/ ) was worth a great deal more than me addding my POV to the rest of the pile.
The article speaks rather well for itself.

AGDee 11-12-2008 07:36 PM

Many 8 year olds don't comprehend death. Many 8 year olds do things like spin in a chair when they are very nervous. This web site describes some of the psychological development that 8 year olds are experiencing.

http://childparenting.about.com/od/c...aroldhom_2.htm
http://childparenting.about.com/od/c...aroldhom_3.htm

As you can see, things like understanding right from wrong and feeling guilt are just developing at 8. I don't see how we can possibly try an 8 year old as an adult. It's just ludicrous. He needs psychological help. When he comes to understand that his dad will never come back and that it's his fault, he's probably going to be seriously traumatized.

LttleMsPrEp 11-13-2008 06:43 PM

^^ i agree.. most 8 year olds don't fully understand the concept of death so there is a great chance that he isn't aware of the severity of his actions. To try an 8 year old as an adult is ridiculous, the only way that I could see something like this plausible would be if there were evidence presented about sexual abuse which might give him a motive.

And as far as the 8 year old spinning in a chair being a sign of him being a sociopath I think is a little far-fetched..imagine if you're 8 and stuck in a room listening to "grown ups" talk and use big words that you're probably not able to understand.. maybe the kid was just bored and if that's the case can you blame him for spinning in a chair because afterall he's only a kid.


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