Dezmond Johnathan Romero, 27, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of August 28, 2025, near East 88th Avenue and Welby Road in Thornton, Colorado. Adams County Sheriff’s deputies found Romero with a gunshot wound and he was pronounced dead at the scene. His family described him as the glue of their household and remembered him as loving, selfless, and always ready to help others; he would have turned 28 two weeks after his death.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting occurred during an argument with 37-year-old Alex Anthony Martinez. Martinez was identified as a suspect and was arrested later the same day at his workplace in nearby Commerce. He faces charges of first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.

The family, who previously lost a daughter more than twenty years earlier, and friends are grieving and want Romero’s memory preserved. If anyone witnessed the shooting or has information about what led to the argument, please share what is known.