On the afternoon of March 17, officers from the Anaheim Police Department were called to an apartment in the city where they found 24-year-old Mirelle Mateus dead inside. Mirelle’s mother, Alice Mateus, had a feeling that something was wrong and went to Mirelle’s ex-boyfriend’s home, where she opened the unlocked front door and found her daughter dead in the bathroom.
“It was I who found her dead in the bathroom,” she said, per the outlet. “It was not the police. The system failed me.”
Aaron Romo, 36, of Anaheim, was arrested on a murder charge later that week. He is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and is being held without bail at the Anaheim Police Department Detention Facility. Authorities have not yet revealed the cause of death, but do believe that she was murdered.
Romo was previously charged with two felonies – corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and false imprisonment – as well as misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and battery. He was jailed and posted bail. It is unclear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney.
Investigators believe Romo may have assaulted other women in the past and are asking any other potential victims to come forward. The police department declined to “elaborate on evidence or to discuss possible motives” in the case.
Mirelle’s sister Sandy Mateus has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with funeral expenses. Sandy Mateus stated on the page, “Mirelle Nicolle Mateus was a 24-year-old student, hard worker, loving daughter, amazing sister, the best aunt to her niece & nephews, great friend, over all a very special caring generous person with a heart so pure & full of love. She was murdered by her ex-boyfriend yesterday.”
