Rohnert Park Man Arrested for Assault, Torture of Estranged Wife in Plot to Frame His Ex-Girlfriend

Fairfield police arrested a Rohnert Park man Wednesday for assaulting his estranged wife who was trying to help him get custody of a child he had with an ex-girlfriend.

Jose Pablo Romero, 34, was arrested at around 11 a.m. at his home in the 8800 block of Lancaster Drive in Rohnert Park. He faces assault with a deadly weapon, torture, aggravated mayhem, spousal battery and conspiracy charges, Lt. Greg Hurlbut said.

Romero is being held under $1 million bail in the Solano County jail.

The investigation into the lengthy, bizarre and convoluted domestic violence case began when Romero's estranged 19-year-old wife told
police she was assaulted by two men on a trail in Fairfield on Aug. 4,
Hurlbut said.

She suffered superficial injuries to her arms, abdomen and shoulders, and was treated at the NorthBay Medical Center, Hurlbut said.

Police never found the suspects, Hurlbut said.

A few days later, Romero's estranged wife admitted she fabricated the assault story to help Romero and another man frame Romero's ex-girlfriend so Romero could get custody of the child he had with his ex-girlfriend, Hurlbut said.

Romero's estranged wife also admitted she lied when she said Romero's ex-girlfriend attacked her and cut off her ponytail on a trail in Fairfield on May 15 and stabbed her in the waist at a park on May 24.

She admitted she allowed an unknown male to stab her in the waist on May 24, Hurlbut said.

In that incident, she was treated for a serious cut in her abdomen at Vaca Valley Hospital, Hurlbut said.

On Aug. 11, Romero's estranged wife reported being stabbed in a field on Serrano Drive in Fairfield, Hurlbut said. She suffered two severe lacerations on her back and a bruise on her head, Hurlbut said.

A witness reported two men fleeing from the scene, Hurlbut said. She was admitted to a Bay Area hospital and remains there.

In the hospital, Romero's estranged wife initially told police two unknown men stabbed her and fled, Hurlbut said. But during an "emotional" interview, she realized the extent of her injuries and admitted Romero and his unknown friend again conspired to blame that assault on Romero's ex-girlfriend, Hurlbut said.

Romero allegedly cut a deep "X" on his estranged wife's back between her shoulder blades and waist in the Aug. 11 incident, Hurlbut said.

Fairfield detectives then obtained a warrant to search Romero's house and arrested him without incident on Wednesday.

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