What greed did she have when this happened? I highly doubt that Tim Romans even had any life insurance since he worked for a construction outfit at the plant and not the plant itself.
Probable cause is a very low burden to meet. The Judge did not base that he thought probable cause was met, based solely on the confession. The probable cause hearing had several officers testifying in it and JR took the totality of all that was stated and came to his conclusion that it had been met.
There is absolutely no proof that he WASN'T in the home. The gunshot residue found on his shirt and his pants shows more likely he was in the home when the gun was discharged, than it doesn't. The only thing that would have been conclusive toward his innocence is if NO gunshot residue was found on him at all but that was not the case. It is just as LE expected and over three dozen particle was found.
I have been researching criminal cases for almost three decades and I can't remember one other case where the suspect's clothing had this much GSR found and these clothes weren't even taken until the next day. By then a lot of the GSR had shed from his clothing and been rubbed off by loved ones touching him.
imoo
Sorry OBE, not buyin' the GSR test. In some of the previous posts, articles are quoted where many LE agencies have discontinued using the GSR as evidence because it's unreliable. One expert even said that because this was a 'hunting family,' the child could have hung his clothes in the closet and it would have shown GSR.
I'm willing to bet you could test just about anything in that home and it will show GSR, maybe even higher than 3 dozen particles.
When a weapon is discharged, it blasts 10's of 1000's of particles. The murder weapon was fired 10 times in that home just prior to the boy's entrance, there was even 'white smoke' floating in the air. I'm surprised he didn't have more than 3 doz particles.
Just as particles may have flaked off his clothing in between the murders and the SW obtaining the clothing, the child may have even been in contact with the REAL killer, transferring particles from them to the boy or maybe one of his relatives had been in contact with a gun and hugged the boy.
The 10's of 1000's of particles expelled from a fired weapon float to drapes, furniture, carpet, anything within range. The child said he layed on the floor by his dad and wept.
GSR particles may even stay on clothing AFTER being washed. Officers indicated the child's clothes were very dirty. He most likely had worn them, at least the levis, more than once. Looking at the photos of the house and all the dirty clothes laying around, it's most probable he had worn them more than once.
The child would MOST likely have hundreds if not 1000's of particles on his clothing had he discharged the weapon 10 times that day. Any reasonable judge or jury would consider the GSR evidence as unreliable and NOT relevant.
There's NOTHING to indicate the child was WITHIN the home at the time of the murders. NOTHING.
IMHO, the boy's gonna walk. St John's LE need to investigate the crime. They might even find a killer.
Oh, and the 'greed' I talked about. Romans wife was in contact with an attorney within two or three days of the murder. I don't know anyone who's husband died who contacted a lawyer or insurance company within days of their loved one's demise. That's usually the last thing on your mind during the closest days following the death of their loved one.
JMHO
fran
PS...Oh, yeah......the spokesman for the Romans, Big John, is having doubts the child committed the crime. I think more people will see the light as the days pass......fran