Windsor Man Convicted of Attempting to Murder His Ex-Girlfriend Receives Life Sentence

Defendant Joseph Romo, 57 years old and most recently residing in Windsor, California, was sentenced today by the Honorable Kenneth Gnoss. Romo’s sentencing follows his convictions earlier this year stemming from an incident in which he attempted to murder his ex-girlfriend at her home in Santa Rosa. Romo received an indeterminate “life” sentence which makes him first eligible for parole consideration after serving approximately 7 actual years in prison.

District Attorney Rodriguez stated, “This was an incredibly violent attack that very nearly took the victim’s life. My hope is that Mr. Romo serves a large portion of the sentence commensurate with the pain and suffering inflicted on the victim, who will be recovering both physically and emotionally for years to come. Our thanks to the jurors who served on this case and listened to the evidence.”

The charges resulted from an incident that occurred in Santa Rosa during the early morning hours of May 8, 2024. That morning, at approximately 1:00 a.m., the victim woke up to find someone was in her bedroom of her Bennett Valley residence. As she woke, the other person in her room – later determined to be her ex-boyfriend Joseph Romo – approached her and proceeded to strike her repeatedly in the head with his baton-like weapon. As Romo repeatedly struck the victim she was unable to defend herself, but she was initially able to scream. Although the victim thought she was going to die, her screams woke her teenage son, who ran to her room. The victim’s son saw Romo continue to strike his mother on the head, even though she was no longer responsive. Her son was able to bring an end to the attack by pulling Romo away. After a brief struggle, the victim’s son chased Romo as he ran from their home. Neither the victim nor her son had a good enough view of Romo during the attack to identify him as the attacker. However, the victim’s son suspected it was Romo based on the attacker’s build and voice.

Patrol officers and detectives with the Violent Crimes Team at the Santa Rosa Police Department worked diligently to identify and arrest the perpetrator. They linked Romo to the scene through digital records including video surveillance around the county, as well as through DNA evidence on items left at the victim’s residence. After Romo was charged, at the preliminary hearing, a witness also disclosed for the first time that Romo told her that night that he hurt his ex.

After the attack, the victim spent a week in the ICU being treated for her numerous potentially deadly injuries. That initial treatment was followed by months in a nursing facility trying to focus on healing and rehabilitation. All the while, the victim continued to suffer from severe pain. Only after eight months of recovery was the victim able to start caring for herself again. Even now, she is still both mentally and physically affected by what Romo did to her on May 8, 2024. 

During the February trial the jury found Romo guilty of all charges, which included premeditated and deliberate attempted murder, inflicting injury upon a person with whom he had a prior dating relationship, burglary, and robbery. As to those offenses, the jury further found true allegations and aggravating circumstances including that Romo personally inflicted great bodily injury upon the victim, that Romo personally used a deadly or dangerous weapon, that the victim was particularly vulnerable, that the circumstances of the offenses demonstrate planning and sophistication, and that Romo has engaged in violent conduct that indicates a serious danger to society. After his convictions, Romo hired a new attorney and pursued a motion for a new trial, which was denied in October.

Today, after hearing from the parties, as well as the victim and her sons, the Honorable Kenneth Gnoss sentenced Romo to 5 years plus life in prison. However, in light of the passage of Proposition 57 in 2016, CDCR guidelines now allow violent felons and offenders sentenced to an indeterminate “life” term to reduce their sentences by 33% before first becoming eligible for parole consideration. With Romo’s sentence of 5 years plus life in prison, it’s anticipated Romo will first become eligible for parole consideration in 2032 after serving approximately 7 actual years in prison.

The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Andrew Lukas, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Dave Linscomb. Detective Brooke Clark of the Santa Rosa Police Department’s Violent Crimes Team headed the investigation.