This crime story is of a 24-year-old nurse who loved to travel and spend time with friends. That nurse, who was very friendly by nature, used to take care of her patients like family members. One day suddenly that nurse disappeared. The mother called her, but her mobile was switched off. The mother got suspicious and went straight to an apartment. The door of the house was open. As soon as the mother stepped forward, her daughter's body was lying soaked in blood in the bathroom.
Just by looking at the dead body, it was clear that the nurse was brutally beaten before being killed. There were injury marks all over the body. After all, who was the person who did such brutality to her? What enmity can anyone have with a nurse? And, after the nurse disappeared, how did the mother know that her daughter would be found in this apartment?
This story begins in May 2022, when a nurse named Mireille Matus, living in California, USA, met 37-year-old Aaron Romo. Both of them started dating each other and started living together after a month. Aaron used to run a car upholstery business, but he had a habit of drinking alcohol and partying till late at night. At the same time, Mireille loved to travel and spend time with friends and family.
Everything was fine in the beginning, but after some time, they started fighting. Aaron did not like Mireille hanging out and socializing with his friends. Fed up, when Mireille tried to walk away from this relationship, Aaron apologized and threatened her that if she did not forgive him, he would harm himself. In such a situation, Mireille had to stay with him even though she did not want to.
However, Aaron's behavior with her was getting worse every day. Mireille was now in a relationship that was becoming difficult for her to live with. On December 5, 2022, Mireille went to the police and accused Aaron of assaulting her as well as throwing her down from the balcony of his apartment. Aaron was arrested but got bail shortly after.
As soon as Aaron was released, Mireille went to court and got a contact restriction order issued against him. Under this order, Aaron was banned from talking to or meeting Mireille until 2025. Mireille moved back to her mother's house and thought she was safe now. However, this was not the case. Aaron ignored the contact restriction order and tried to meet Mireille.
In early 2023, Aaron called Mireille 616 times in a matter of weeks. He also started visiting her at the hospital and gym. Mireille texted him to stay away. She wrote, "Stop calling me and trying to come into my life. I want nothing to do with you. Let me live my life... I'm tired of forgiving you at the cost of my life. Not texting me means not texting me."
On the night of March 16, 2023, Aaron went to a bar to drink and kept drinking till late. There he misbehaved with a woman, for which she slapped Aaron. When the ruckus increased and the bar bouncers took him out, he got into a fight with them as well and got injury marks on both his eyes. After coming out of the bar, Aaron called Mireille again and asked her to drop him to his house. After repeated calls, Mireille finally agreed.
Upon reaching the apartment, Aaron once again became violent and tried to forcefully drag Mireille into his house. When the guard present there heard Mireille's screams, he immediately called the police. When the police reached the spot, the door of Aaron's house was locked from inside and faint sounds were coming from inside. The police knocked, but no one opened the door and the sound from inside also stopped. The police thought that it might be a domestic matter and went back.
The next day, when Mireille did not return home, her mother became concerned. She called her mother, but her mobile was switched off. The mother was worried that something might have happened to her daughter and she immediately went to Aaron's apartment. The door of the house was open. As soon as they stepped inside, they found Mireille's body soaked in blood in the bathroom. She had been brutally beaten and strangled to death.
Meanwhile, Aaron was missing. The police were informed about the matter. Based on the complaint, the police arrested Aaron from the house of one of his ex-girlfriends. When the case went to court, old stories of Aaron's brutality came to light. The public prosecutor revealed that Aaron had a history of being violent towards his partners. Seven of his ex-girlfriends had filed complaints of abuse against him.
Not only this, five former girlfriends have taken out contact restriction orders against him. During court hearings, some of them testified that they were punched, choked, and chased despite refusing. Aaron also raped a woman and a friend after breaking down the door of her hotel room.
His defense argued that Aaron had fainted at the bar that evening. Due to a head injury and concussion, he was unable to think about what he was doing. At the same time, the public prosecutor said that he had been abusing women for 15 years. This is the same person. He does not have a concussion. After this, Aaron also told many stories in his defense.
He said in court that he was very drunk on the night of the murder and did not remember Mireille being in his apartment. He said that his mind was not working because of the fight in the bar. Aaron said that he loved Mireille very much and once he even snatched and broke her phone because she was talking to another man. He said that Mireille died because she was not doing what Aaron wanted.
Police investigations revealed that Aaron had beaten Mireille inside the apartment and she struggled to save her life. Mireille had severe injuries on her head, face and hands. Bunches of her hair were also found in the apartment. Aaron had written on the bathroom mirror, 'I didn't want this, I love you, I want to die. Please.'
In May 2024, the court found Aaron guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced him to 30 years in prison. At the same time, Mireille's family says that if the police had taken action that night, their daughter's life would have been saved. The medical examiner said that Mireille died within half an hour of the police leaving. She could have been saved. Mireille's family is taking legal action against the police department for this negligence.
PC:NBT
