Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Magdalena man missing a week

Steven Romero was last seen on April 14

Audry Olmsted El Defensor Chieftain Managing Editor

State Police are looking for a 61-year-old Magdalena man who has not been seen since April 14, when he told family members that he was going to Albuquerque.

Steven V. Romero's abandoned truck was found Friday on N.M. 117 near Mile Marker 35. The truck had two flat tires.

Magdalena Marshal Larry Cearly said he received a call from the Department of Transportation that Romero's blue Ford Ranger had been found and went to his house on Oak Street to see if he could find Romero.

The marshal said Romero's house is up for sale and he contacted his real estate agent, Mary Miles, to see if she had heard from him. She had not. He then went to talk with Romero's neighbors.

One neighbor, Paul Lucero, said he has been feeding Romero's dog in his absence.

"He said (Romero) had been gone for quite a few days and he always took his dog with him," Cearly said.

"His plan was to go to Albuquerque on Monday (April 14) to see his sister," the marshal said.

Romero's daughter, Stephanie Romero Hull, of Richmond, Va., said her father e-mailed his sister in Albuquerque, Mary Chavez, on April 13, that he was going to Albuquerque on April 14. He e-mailed Chavez that he had a doctor's appointment and that he had severe allergies. Hull said her father was scheduled to have a doctor's' appointment in Magdalena on April 14, but he did not show up for it.

Hull said her family has looked at her father's bank accounts and saw that he did actually go to Albuquerque on April 14, and he went to a bank there at 2 p.m.

"We have no idea what he did after that,' Hull said, "he did not contact family or friends."

According to his bank records, he ate an early breakfast at the First Street Café in Grants on April 15. Hull said they do not know where her father spent the night between April 14 and April 15. She added that his records show he got gas at a Chevron gas station in Socorro before going to Albuquerque on April 14. He also got gas at a Shell Oil gas station in Grants on the same day.

Romero's truck was first discovered by ranchers on the highway on April 16.

Cearly acquired a key to gain entry into Romero's home, but was unable to find any information to indicate his whereabouts, according to a police report. There was no sign of a struggle at Romero's home.

According to an Albuquerque Journal article, Romero's truck was not locked when it was found on the highway. It was stocked with fruit, granola bars, sodas and water. There was no sign of a break-in. It appeared as though Romero was driving south when he got the flat tires, according to State Police Patrolman Craig Vandiver.

No footprints were found leading away from the truck, the Journal article reported. Tracking dogs from the state penitentiary spent six hours searching the area over the weekend, but lost Romero's scent at the road, leading police to believe he got a ride from someone.

Cearly said they even took out Romero's dog to see if it could pick up a scent, with no luck.

Hull said her family believes Romero might be in El Malpais National Monument, which is near where his vehicle was found.

Hull said she would like anyone who saw Romero or talked with him to contact police.

"Someone saw him at the café. Someone saw him at the gas stations," she said. "I would like any information at all to help find him.

Romero has a mild case of adult-onset muscular dystrophy that causes him to walk with a with an odd gait, Hull said.

Police are asking anyone who saw Romero or his truck to call the State Police Office in Grants at 505-287-4377.

Cearly said Romero is about 6 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds. He has gray hair, a gray beard and brown eyes. Cearly said it is possible that Romero had shaved his beard.

Hull said her father normally wears jeans and T-shirts or long-sleeved sweatshirts. He also wears glasses and normally wears some sort of hat. He always has a blue backpack with him.

Leslie Linthicum of the Albuquerque Journal contributed to this story.

aolmsted@dchieftain.com

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