Vick and her fiance rented their upstairs apartment to Romano, 47, for months before he moved to 1517 Lafayette. The neighbors shared camping trips and cookouts.
“He would help me with my horse,” Vick said. “He would take the lady down the street to work. He was always helping.”
Vick said Romano wanted to keep active despite some health conditions. He loved riding his motorcycle and making people laugh, she said.
“He was a big joker,” Vick said, pointing to a photo on a poster of Romano dressed as a baby for Halloween.
Vick, her daughter, and other family members have created bright posters for the vigil scheduled for 7 p.m. outside Romano’s house.
One poster reads: “We won’t rest until we have justice.”
Vick said that is how she feels.
“He deserves a vigil,” she said. “I hope it helps (in the investigation).
Romano was found about 8 a.m. by two people — Doug Hobbs and Paige Morris — described by police as housemates. His death has officially been ruled a homicide by the Butler County Coroner’s Office, who said Romano died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Hobbs and Morris have been charged with obstructing official business for allegedly not being truthful in their statements to detectives at the beginning of the investigation, according to officials.
Middletown Lt. Jim Cunningham said detectives have been conducting interviews. They are also trying to obtain residential security video to identify suspects.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Middletown police at 513-425-7700.
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