A man accused of killing a stranger in downtown Fort Myers in June and brutally beating his cellmate days later has died.
Samantha Syoen, spokesperson for the State Attorney’s Office, 20th Judicial Circuit, on Sept. 2 confirmed that Yanko Romero, 41, is dead.
She did not answer when he died and referred further questions to the Treasure Coast Forensic Treatment Center, in Indiantown.
A circuit judge deemed Romero, of Fort Myers, incompetent to stand trial, leading to his tranfer to the center. Romero faced a possible death penalty.
Officials did not confirm Romero’s date of death or cause of death by publication.
Romero faced charges of capital first-degree murder; attempted first-degree murder; aggravated assault with a firearm; tampering with or fabricating physical evidence; and two counts of shooting into a building in the June 8 slaying of Alex Johnson, 25, of North Fort Myers.
Additionally, on June 26, the State Attorney’s Office filed charges against Romero for a June 10 incident where authorities say he brutally attacked Brandt Diaz, 39, of Fort Myers, about 3:45 a.m. at the Lee County Jail.
As part of the July 25 order from Lee Circuit Judge Robert Branning, Romero was remanded to the medical facility until he was fit for trial.
During several court appearances, Romero interrupted the proceedings, saying he could not understand English. When confronted by law enforcement and court officials, he admitted he spoke English.
Authorities said the slain fisherman, Johnson, was with his girlfriend along the Caloosahatchee River. They had just placed their boat in the water when he drove to a nearby parking lot and Romero shot him in the head.
Romero then pointed his firearm at a jogger and fled to the parking lot of the WINK News building, “pacing back and forth,” according to Fort Myers Police.
Romero refused to comply with commands and fled before he threw his weapon into a canal, the report indicated.
Assault on inmate
Romero was involved in a separate violent incident while in custody at the Lee County Jail when he assaulted “and almost killed” Diaz on June 10, records indicate.
Corrections officers had to stun Romero and extract Diaz, from the jail cell.
Suspect in Michigan murder
Police also learned Romero is a person of interest in an Inkster, Michigan, murder.
According to the report, that slaying happened in 2023.
Inkster Police Chief Tamika Jenkins said they are waiting on DNA results.
The News-Press did not receive response by publication on whether authorities formally connected Romero to the Michigan slaying or whether they would pursue the case posthoumously.
Romero was next due in court Nov. 17 for a case management conference.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Bluesky @tomasfrodriguez.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Accused Fort Myers killer Yanko Romero, facing possible death penalty, dies in custody
Reporting by Tomas Rodriguez, Fort Myers News-Press / Fort Myers News-Press
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